True Love
by DangerousRockstar
Summary: In order to win someone's heart, you have to have something more than good looks. Even though Amy is forced to marry a stubborn prince, that doesn't stop her from falling in love with another man that she sees at night. DISCONTINUED
1. Wishing Upon the Star

Gahhh, what's going on with me!? First, I create a new fanfic, and then lose ideas quickly, and then I come up with another story! Damn you writer's block/hiatus! But let's hope that I'll start AND continue AND finish this fic.

Note: I decided to try something new for this new fanfic. This story will be taken place during the 17th, so hopefully I'll do well with the dialogues. This fic is inspired by moonlightdreamer's 'Midnight' story, Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' story, and tpcb000's 'Forbidden' story. Anyway, enjoy! P.S., I DON'T OWN ANYTHING!

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"_**And so, the prince carried on with his duty by running up to the tallest tower of the castle. By the time he reached to the room where the princess was asleep, he walked to her and got down on one knee. He placed his lips upon hers, and thus he broke the spell. When the princess awakened, she smiled at the handsome prince before her and exited the room with him. The castle was filled with joy to see the prince and the princess as they marry, sharing a long romantic kiss. Everyone celebrated, and they all lived happily ever after. The End.**_"

A young woman, who read the ending, closed the book and looked down at her 7 year old daughter. She was a beautiful pink hedgehog with pink white skin that clearly matched her fur color. The little one slept peacefully as her chest rose up and down slowly with every small breath she took. Quietly, the mother tucked her in, sat the book on the desk and kissed her daughter goodnight. She tip toed to the door and opened it slowly.

"Mama?" the little one spoke, making her mother gasp slightly.

"Yes, Amy?" the adult hedgehog turned to her.

"Will I marry a handsome prince one day?" the young princess asked joyfully as she sat up.

"Of course you will", her mother smiled. "And hopefully, he'll be noble, honest, and very caring to you. Oh, and let's not forget romantic."

"And then we'll live happily ever after?" Amy asked with hope and cheeriness.

"Absolutely", the queen replied. "Now go to sleep, my child." With that said, she walked out of the room and closed the door gently.

Yawning softly, Amy laid back on her bed and turned to the side. She could see the balcony which was only 10 feet away from her. The curtains moved a little, due to the slight breeze from outside. Up in the sky, the stars and the moon shun as if they were Amy's night lights. Suddenly, a shooting star passed by. The princess gasped and ran to the balcony. She was once told that if she saw a shooting star and made a wish, it would come true. She clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, focusing on her wish.

"Oh, shooting star, please grant me a wish. My only wish is to find a prince that would love me and make me happy. That way I can have my own happily ever after, just like in the story."

A while later, she opened her eyes and yawned again. Now that she has made her wish, she decided to wait for it to come true. Tiredly, she crawled into her badge canopy bed and closed the light pink curtains around her. After that, she went into deep slumber…

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_

8 years later…

"Wake up, Amy. It is time."

The teenage princess opened her eyes slowly after she heard her father's voice. She yawned loudly as she sat up and stretched out her arms. She then rubbed her eyes and looked at her father, who was a rose madder colored hedgehog and had an impatient look on his face.

"Morning already?" Amy said sleepily.

"Yes, Amy", her father replied. "Now, we must be quick. Our carriage is waiting for us", he reminded her and then left.

Amy crossed her arms and huffed rudely. Ever since spring came around, her father figured it would be the right time to arrange her marriage for her 16th birthday. However, she didn't like the idea of waking up so early. Aside that, she thought that she should wait for the prince instead of looking for him. Netherless, she climbed out of her bed and began to prepare for the day.

Minutes later, she ate her breakfast and was fully dressed. She had on a long emerald green dress with short sleeves, heels, and a golden headband with an emerald piece in the middle. Despite that she liked her new dress; she wasn't interested in 'wedding arrangements' so soon. Soon enough, she and her father got in the carriage and left their kingdom.

Their first stop was at Soleanna. The castle there was all white yet it was magnificently huge. Inside, King Isaac (Amy's father) and King Luke (Silver's father) discussed about how they were going to bring them close together. However, their plan wasn't going to go to action so soon. By the time they finished talking; Amy stomped by and made her way out.

"Amy, where are you going?" her father asked worriedly.

"Back to the carriage", Amy replied furiously.

"Why? Do you not like my son?" King Luke asked curiously.

"I have a feeling that he is not interested in me. Not only that, all he does cause trouble", Amy explained. "In fact, he almost took my eye out with his sword!" she yelled and then left.

"Oh, dear", King Isaac slapped his forehead tiredly. He knew that finding a suitable husband for Amy would be challenging for him.

The next day, they went to the Rose Kingdom (A/N, let's say a French based kingdom). While they were there, Amy would barely understand what Prince Antoine was saying towards her. Not only that, he seemed to be a heavy wine drinker, considering he fell on the floor unconscious during the day. So he definitely wasn't going to be Amy's choice.

Next, Amy and her father traveled to Babylon Garden (A/N, yes, the place from Sonic Riders). Although the scenery of the kingdom was fascinating, the people there weren't very friendly. Even Prince Jet and his father didn't take too kindly to visitors. Not only that, but there were a few bandits that tried to steal Amy's jewelry and her father had to defend her. Therefore, they were never going to come back, ever.

A couple of months later, the two arrived on Angel Island. Even though there wasn't much to offer, the villagers seemed friendly to meeting the king and his daughter. However, Amy didn't like the look of the place at all. She's not much of an outsider you see. Their chosen one, Knuckles, looked handsome, but his attitude was quite rude and he was very demanding at some sorts. There was no way that Amy was going to marry him. She was afraid that if they marry, then she would have to live here forever! So then, she and her father departed.

After they returned home, they decided to take a break and wait for someone to ask Amy's hand in marriage. Even though Amy was glad that she was able to take a break, she wasn't sure if she wanted to go through all of that trouble again. Maybe she wasn't ready to get married after all. Through all of those years dreaming on marrying a prince was becoming a sign of regret. Now Amy doesn't want to get married, yet. But her father seems to be pushy at some sorts. He sent out a few messengers in order to receive any luck on finding a suitable prince for Amy. Although, Amy began to have doubts that they'll ever find someone.

That night, Amy was standing at her balcony staring at the moon. Every night, she felt like the moon was her guardian, because whenever she felt sad, it would seem that the moon would cheer her up. Sometimes, she would talk to the moon and it wouldn't judge her. Of course, it couldn't speak at all. Aside that, she would always wait for another shooting star in order to grant her new wish. Or to correct her wish.

"_Maybe I should be careful what I wish for",_ she thought as she rested her elbows on the plinth and rested her chin on her palms. She gazed upon the night sky tiredly as she yawned. Suddenly, her eyes spotted a shooting star passing by speedily. She gasped and clasped her hands together. "Oh, shooting star", she closed her eyes. "Please heed my call. If I could restate my wish, then I wish that I could marry someone who would give me joy and would always be there for me. Prince or not, I wish to meet him. So please, help me find my true love."

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Ok, I hope you guys liked the first chapter. Yeah, it seems like I started on this kinda slow, but I promise, if I get more ideas and don't suffer any writer's block, then the future chapters will be better. Alright, see ya in the next chapter; hopefully I won't suffer any writer's block again! R&R, thanks! By the way, at the beginning, that story was a reference to Sleepy Beauty.


	2. Special Plans

Finally, it s the weekend! Better yet, a Labor Day weekend! So yeah, I really hope you enjoy this chappie. I tried to update earlier, but I had an anatomy test and it was hard. All that studying for nothing but headaches. (Sigh), I hate tests with a passion. Not only that, my allergies have been bothering me a lot. And I went to my dad's house yesterday, not a fun time, I ll just say that. Anyway, enjoy this chappie! If it's too short for ya, please forgive me.

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The next day, the king was pacing back and forth in the main hall. He was starting to feel impatient because he hasn't heard any good news from anyone about finding a different prince for Amy. If only his daughter didn't make things so difficult. He hoped that the next prince would be the perfect choice for his daughter so that way he could rest easily. His wife, Melissa, walked to him, worried about his actions.

"What is wrong, Isaac?" she asked.

"Argh, it's just that...This search for Amy's beloved is becoming difficult as we speak", her husband replied as he stopped pacing. "We have tried four princes, and Amy didn't like any of them. So if we find our next option, we're going to stick to it, no matter what.

"But what if Amy doesn't like him?" Melissa asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

"I am the king, and I make the rules in this castle", Isaac crossed his arms. "So she will do as I say, whether she likes it or not. After all, she knows that she's getting tired of this mess."

Melissa sighed as she relaxed her arms. No matter how many times she would disagree with him, he would always end the argument saying that he's the only one that makes the rules. Yes, he can be selfish at times, but she still loves him. She only wishes that he would think for others instead of himself. But she knows that she has to stay on his good side and try to agree with him so that way they won't get into a big argument.

"Your majesties!" a messenger (who was a brown fox) ran in, carrying a letter.

"What is it?" the king turned to him inquisitively.

"I have...some...good news", the fox panted as he slowed down and got on his knees. He sighed exhaustedly as he fell forward.

"Get up, boy!" Isaac snapped his fingers orderly.

"Oh, yes sir", the messenger quickly stood up. "Here", he held out an envelope.

The king took the envelope and opened it. He pulled out a letter and began to read it. His wife only stared silently, wondering what the letter said. Hopefully, the letter said something about a prince that was willing to marry Amy. If not, then the king would have a rage with anger. Suddenly, the king smiled.

"This is good news!" he said joyfully.

"What is it?" the queen took the letter and read it.

"It says that there is a prince that is eager to marry our precious daughter", Isaac explained. "In fact, he is from Mobius Kingdom, the mightiest of all, right next to our own, the Emerald Kingdom!"

"Oh...Interesting", Melissa nodded.

"I have an idea", Isaac had a sudden thought. "Why don't we invite him here tomorrow night in order to surprise Amy?"

"That would be nice, but I have a feeling that she would be suspicious about that", his wife folded the letter. "I'm also afraid that she might dislike him as well."

"Hmm...Perhaps we shall have a ball. We could invite some people, including the prince, and then he and Amy will spend time with each other. Hopefully, that would work. No, it should work! I know it!"

"And how do you know that?" Melissa asked sarcastically.

"Because...I am the king. The king is always right!" Isaac said with pride. His wife rolled her eyes. "Now, I must send out some invitations. We are having the ball tomorrow night!"

"Tomorrow night? But that's too soon", his wife commented.

"It does not matter", Isaac placed his hands on her shoulders. "It is now or never. Now then, let us tell everyone about this shall we?"

"And Amy?"

"No. We must keep it as a secret from her. As I said, it will be her surprise", Isaac said in a whisper.

Near the main hall, a little light pink hedgehog was listening to their conversation behind a wall. She was Amy s younger sister, Lily. Even though she was eight years old, she knew what everything would be like when she gets older. She figured that she should tell Amy about this, since they are very close. Quietly, she tip toed to her older sister's room.

Inside Amy's room, the eldest princess was brushing her hair as she hummed a tune in her mind. She was told many times that she had to be presentable; even she didn't have guests around. Even though that sounded a bit odd to her, she always loved to brush her hair. The feeling of her hair being pulled softly and relaxing to her neck was pleasant to her. She stopped brushing her hair and looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair only reached to neck, not growing an inch. She always wanted long hair so she could fiddle with it anytime she wanted to. She yawned as she rubbed her eyes. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in", she said politely.

"Amy, you will not believe this", Lily came in, closed the door gently and ran to her. "I have overheard that father and mother are planning on a having a ball tomorrow night."

"Why?"

"Well, in order to get you and another prince together."

"So they found someone else I see."

"Yes, and father said that this time, that you and this prince will be married whether you like it or not."

"How very thoughtful of him", Amy crossed her arms and looked away spitefully.

"Well, I do not who the prince really is, but I heard he is from Mobius Kingdom. In fact, that kingdom is stronger than ours. So maybe...it might work out", Lily fiddled with her fingers nervously.

"We'll see", Amy looked at her honestly. "But if I don t like him and father won't accept it, I guess I'll have to live unmarried forever. After all, this is getting old."

"It must be hard to be a princess, yes?" Lily scratched her head.

"Very."

"But um...You get to have everything you want."

"Except freedom", Amy lowered her head sadly.

"Come again?" Lily blinked.

"Nothing", Amy smiled. "Anyway, let us keep this as a secret, shall we? After all, we do not want to make our father angry, do we?"

"Oh, no. Our secret is a secret", Lily did a false salute.

"Good", Amy knelt down and gave her a hug. _"A ball...Tomorrow night...I hope that this prince will be worth it",_ she thought hesitantly.

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Ok, I hope you guys enjoyed it. And for the first time, I should include voice actors, because I think it would be cool. Anyway, Amy's voice actress is Jennifer Douillard (from SA1), because I prefer her more than Lisa Ortiz. Lily's voice actress shall be Stephanie Beard (from Sailor Moon S). Isaac's by Kenneth Mars (From The Little Mermaid) and Melissa's voice is provided by Megan Hollingshead (from Naruto). Hooray for awesome voice actors! Anyway, see ya next time! =)


	3. A Mysterious Hero

And here's the third chapter! I promise you, this chapter will be longer than the first two. Hope you enjoy! =D

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Ever since King Isaac received the letter from Mobius Kingdom, he quickly planned for a ball in order for Amy and the prince to meet. Through the rest of the day, he has been ordering around the servants to prepare for the ball. The chefs prepared delicious meals, the maids cleaned up the ball room, and the other servants decorated all over the room. While they were doing their jobs, the king wrote a letter in order to invite the prince to tomorrow night's ball. He sent out the same messenger and told him to be quick. He has also sent more messengers to give out invitations to the residents at a nearby village. After that, he told his wife to prepare Amy for the big event. Even though he was getting tired that night, he continued to order everyone around.

The next night finally came. It was 10:30 when the ball began. Many people walked in with fancy outfits and began to chatter about the scenery of the place (A/N: Think of this place as the ball room from Beauty and the Beast, except everything's white). There were food tables scattered about; a few statues were placed against the walls, and there was a symphony group that played soft, beautiful music. Some couples were dancing in the middle of the ball room while others stood at the food tables chatting and laughing.

Isaac and his wife watched from their thrones as they enjoyed the music quietly. Lily was in her bedroom, because she wasn't able to stay up late that night. As for Amy, she was standing alone with her back against the wall, extremely bored. She was wearing a long golden dress that reached down to her ankles with matching jewelry, heels, gloves, and a headband that went along with her outfit. Despite that she looked gorgeous; she didn't look like she was having any fun at the moment. Sure she shook some hands from the guests, but she decided to have her space.

"Grr, where is he?" Isaac looked at his pocket watch. "I cannot stand to see my daughter looking lonely."

"Have patience, my dear", Melissa gazed at the symphony performers.

Yawning to herself, Amy began to walk her way out of the ball room. She never looked forward to this event at all. She could careless if she never met the prince at all. Before long, a sudden hand took her left arm gently.

"You are Princess Amy, correct?" a young male's voice asked.

Intriguingly, the female turned to her left and widened her eyes. Standing before her was a teenage blue hedgehog with green eyes and was about a couple inches taller than her. He wore a steel blue tunic, long black pants with matching boots and a small golden crown on his head. So this must be the prince that Amy's father was excited about. One thing for sure, he was quiet handsome. Hopefully, he wouldn't be a nuisance.

"Y-Yes, I am", Amy stuttered a little.

"You may not know me, but I am Prince Sonic, from Mobius Kingdom", the blue hedgehog introduced himself with a small bow. "It is an honor to meet you, dearest princess." He took her hand and kissed it gently, making her blush. "May I have this dance?"

"I…Sure", Amy nodded slowly. With that said, Sonic took her hand again and took her to the middle of the dance floor.

"Husband, look", Melissa pointed.

"Hmm?" Isaac observed the room until he spotted Amy with a male blue hedgehog. "Ah…So that must be him", he smiled.

"He is quite handsome", his wife smiled as well. "I think they are going to dance."

"Let us observe this beautiful moment", Isaac leaned forward slightly.

The conductor looked back and noticed Amy and the prince were in the center of the room. He turned a couple of pages and found a good music score to play. He waved his conducting baton and the musicians began to play a slow, pleasant melody. At that moment, Sonic took Amy's left hand and wrapped his right arm around her waist. Shyly, Amy placed her right hand on his shoulder whilst staring at their feet, in order to see if they were in the right position. Slowly, they began to dance under the lighted chandeliers as everyone watched. Amy's parents had a feeling that their daughter has found the one. They took each other's hands as they watched the two teenagers happily.

The two continued to dance as the music was slowly coming to an end. For once, Amy felt like she was able to give someone a chance to come into her life. She wished that she could dance like this forever. That didn't come true when Sonic accidentally stepped on her right foot.

"Ouch!" she groaned quietly.

"My apologies", Sonic replied diffidently. Not too long after that, he stepped on Amy's left foot. "Sorry again", he said nervously.

"Do you not know how to dance?" Amy grumbled heatedly. "Ouch!" she hissed in pain when Sonic stepped on her left foot again.

"I do. Maybe it is you that does not know how to dance", the blue hedgehog narrowed his eyebrows.

"Excuse me?" the princess huffed rudely.

"Did I stutter?" Sonic responded meanly.

"Grr!!" Amy growled.

"Don't give me that look", Sonic raised an eyebrow ungratefully.

Unexpectedly, rocks were thrown through the tall windows next to the instrumental ensemble. The performers stopped and yelled fearfully as the two hedgehogs stopped dancing. Isaac and Melissa stood up, wondering what just happened. The guests gasped and chattered at the scene. Loudly, a huge group of bandits yelled as they ran in with their weapons held high. Most of the guests ran away as they screamed on top of their lungs. Sonic got in front of Amy for protection and launched out his sword.

"Amy, take heed!" he said and charged at the robbers.

"Oh, no", Amy said worriedly. "Why here? Why now?"

Luckily, the royal guards came in and began to battle with the bandits. However, some of the bandits tackled them down and began to punch them senselessly. A couple of guards led the queen out of the ball room while the king grabbed one of his swords from a wall behind his throne. Then he began to battle a few bandits that were closing in on him. A few orchestra members crawled under the tables with some of the dancers as they shook frightfully. Amy looked around, wondering where she should hide. Suddenly, one of the bandits landed in front of her, making her gasp. It was a green hedgehog with light blue eyes and wore rags from head to toe. Amy could see the scars on the bandit's chest.

"You must be Princess Amy", the bandit grabbed her waist and pulled her close. "My, my, you have a beautiful feature", he said lustfully.

"Let me go!" Amy struggled to get away.

"I'm afraid I can't do that", the bandit touched her neck inappropriately and she stopped. "As I always say, 'anything goes for Scourge'." He strongly carried Amy over his shoulder and escaped the castle as she screamed.

"Amy!" Sonic called for her. Due to his distraction, he was knocked down by a buffed pit bull.

Successfully, Scourge was able to leave the palace and began to run through the garden. After all, the knights were too busy playing with his comrades, so they probably didn't notice Amy's disappearance. That didn't matter to him much. All he could think was that once he reaches to his far away hideout, he would be able to make his way with Amy. The princess was yelling for him to release her as she pounded on his back furiously. Sadly, her punches were very soft to him. Just before he could pass by an apple tree, a red rose was thrown out of nowhere, landing on the ground.

"What the!?" Scourge skidded to a halt when he noticed the rose stopping him. "No, it can't be", he growled.

"Let. Me. Go!" Amy struggled again.

"I think someone needs to teach you some manners", a sudden male's voice spoke courageously.

"I should've known…" the green hedgehog growled again. He looked up at the tree to see if someone was there. There was nothing but apples and leaves. He cursed under his breath as he looked around. Out of nowhere, he was punched in the face and was sent back, dropping Amy at the same time. "You!" he sat up angrily.

"Huh?" Amy stood on her knees. _"Who just saved me?"_ she wondered.

"Are you alright?" the mysterious voice asked kindly.

"Eh?" Amy turned around.

Standing before her was a black and red hedgehog that wore a white domino mask (A/N, like Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon!) and a black suit that matched him perfectly. So he was the one that saved Amy's life. He knelt down a little and lends her a hand considerately. At first, Amy thought that he was a bandit too, but she could see that he wasn't on Scourge's side. Carefully, she took it and the male hedgehog helped her up.

"Oh, why do you always get in my way?" Scourge stood up coldly.

"Maybe because you cause nothing but hurt and madness towards the innocent and I have to stop you", the black hedgehog said as he stood in front of Amy protectively.

"_Who is he? And where did he come from?"_ Amy thought puzzlingly.

"Very well", Scourge pulled out his combat knife. "Prepare yourself!" he charged at the black hedgehog.

"Stand back", the mysterious hedgehog told Amy and charged at Scourge.

"I will", Amy nodded and hid behind the tree.

While she was hiding, Scourge was trying his hardest to stab his enemy, but he kept missing everytime. The black hedgehog swiftly dodged his moves with a small smirk. As Scourge tried to slit his throat, the black hedgehog ducked down and punched him in the gut. The green hedgehog coughed out some blood and held his stomach in pain. Next, the mysterious hero began to perform a 20 punch combo on him. After that, he punched him down on the ground again. Scourge growled, spits some blood to the side, and charged at his opponent again.

The black and red hedgehog pulled out his battle knife and began to have a sword-like battle against Scourge. Their knives clashed a few times as the hedgehogs swung them at each other. Without hesitation, Scourge slashed his foe across the chest, cutting through the suit. As the black hedgehog held his chest in pain, Scourge tackled him down and aimed his knife at his head. Unluckily, the dark hedgehog stopped his knife and twisted his wrist. As Scourge hollered in pain, he was kicked off of his enemy and landed on his back. Before he sat up all the way, the other hedgehog stabbed him in the shoulder blade area fiercely as he growled. Scourge hissed in pain and stabbed him in the back.

The black hedgehog grunted agonizingly as soon as he felt the sharp object in his back. Roughly, Scourge pulled the knife out and was about to stab him again. Amy couldn't watch this any longer. She had to do something, even though it looked dangerous. She felt like she had to return the favor to the black hedgehog for saving her life. Bravely, she ran to his rescue. Before Scourge was able to stab the black hedgehog again, she kicked the knife out of his hand hardly.

"Ouch!" he hissed in pain. He kicked the dark hedgehog off of him, but was knocked back by a low kick. His rival stood up slowly as he panted and held his right shoulder in pain.

"You're hurt", Amy looked at the dark hedgehog's wounds. Suddenly, she hears her royal guards winning against the bandits.

"This isn't over", Scourge got up and ran to find his comrades. He whistled for them and they left the kingdom quickly. Some knights began to follow them as they yelled angrily.

"You better run", the dark hedgehog threatened under his breath.

"Listen, you need to get those wounds treated", Amy said restlessly as she watched the blood drip down from the hedgehog's body.

"I'll be alright", the hedgehog turned to her. He froze as he gazed upon the young lady before him. The princess's beauty captured him by surprise. He has never felt this way before. Could he be falling in love for the first time? Quickly, he pulled out another red rose from his front square pocket and held it to the pink hedgehog. "For you", he spoke softly.

"Oh…" Amy took the rose serenely. "It's beautiful."

"Princess Amy! Where are you?" one of the royal guards called out for her.

"Eh?" Amy turned her direction to her home.

"Princess Amy…I shall remember that", the dark hedgehog said passionately.

"Pardon me?" the princess looked at him strangely.

"We will meet again", the black hedgehog took her left hand slowly and got on one knee. He placed his lips on it for a long moment. Amy blushed as she stared at him bashfully. Soon enough, he released her hand and stood up. "Farewell and goodnight", he bowed. Speedily, he took off in the direction beyond the trees.

"Wait, please!" Amy called out for him, but he was long gone. "I never got the chance to say thank you", she said sympathetically to herself.

"Daughter", her father walked to her worriedly. "Are you injured?"

"No", Amy replied, still staring at the direction where her savior ran off. "I am fine. Nothing to worry about."

"If you say so", Isaac sighed. "Now, come. It is getting late", he took her by the shoulder and made her follow him to their castle. "That rose…" he noticed the beautiful rose that Amy was holding. "Where did you get it?"

"I found it", Amy lied. She knew if she told him that a stranger had saved her, he might say bad things about him, only because he doesn't know him.

Later that night, all of the guests and musicians went home after the whole event was over. Sonic was the last one to leave, because he wanted to say farewell to Amy. The king told the servants to get some rest as they would have to clean everything up tomorrow. However, the guards were on night duty as they stood at the entrance/exits and the outside of the ball room area. Amy was in her room, in her long white sleeping gown, sitting on her bed staring at the rose. On her night stand, a glass vase filled with water was in place, only to put the rose in it. Smiling to herself, she sniffed the rose, admiring its fresh scent of nature. Gently, she puts the rose in the vase and tucked herself in her bed. Then she pulled the curtains around her, so she wouldn't get cold by the wind blowing in. She looked up as she began to wonder about her hero.

_"Who was he? Where did he come from? Am I going to see him again?"_ she questioned. _"I just hope that he will be safe out there…"_ Leisurely, she closed her eyes and went to sleep.

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Hooray! The third chapter is complete! Hope you all enjoyed it! Who was the hedgehog that saved her life? Will they meet each other again? Find out next time! By the way, Sonic's voice actor shall be Ryan Drummond and Scourge's voice actor is Justin Cook. Anyway, I don't own anything. R&R thanks! =)


	4. Ms Acorn

Happy Labor Day everybody! Enjoy the chapter!

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Amy opened her eyes slowly and realized that she was not in her bedroom. She sat up and looked around. It turns out that she was in the royal garden under the midnight sky. With a confused look on her face, she began to ponder for a bit. How did she get here? Why was she out here? She noticed that she was in her nightgown still, so perhaps she wasn't at the ball again. Calmly, she stood up and brushed the dirt off of her gown.

_Suddenly, she began to hear footsteps. She gasped slightly as she looked around frightfully. Her eyes turned to the direction in front of her, where she saw lots of apple trees. Out of the darkness came the mysterious hedgehog that has saved her from Scourge. He stood under the moonlight as he gazed at the young beauty. Thankfully, he didn't have any signs of injury on him. Amy blinked twice. She remembered that he said that they would meet again, but it seems a bit too soon to her. Although, something about her hero made her smile. He was kind, protective, and very romantic. Perhaps, she didn't mind his sudden visit much._

_As the wind blew softly, the black and red hedgehog walked to her without looking away. The princess gulped nervously, since she wasn't sure how to thank him. At any rate, she decided to stay calm. Soon enough, the male hedgehog was standing in front of her. He was about a couple inches taller than Amy, just like Sonic. And yet, he looked like he was the same age as him. However, she knew that this hedgehog wasn't Sonic at all. She had so many questions to ask him. But first, she wanted to thank him._

"_Princess", the black hedgehog spoke delicately._

"_You…" Amy replied softly. "I…I want to thank you for saving my life", she smiled. "If it weren't for you, I would have been gone forever."_

"_It was my pleasure, Amy", the dark hedgehog took her hands gently. "After all, when I saw you in danger, my heart told me to protect you. Now that everything's at peace again, I must admit now that you are the most beautiful girl that I have ever seen. Words cannot describe how much your beauty captures my soul."_

"_Ohh…" the princess blushed. "I must ask you a few questions. Why do you wear that mask?" she looked at the other hedgehog's mask inquisitively. "Not only that, who are you? And where did you come from?"_

"_Such curiosity you have, dear princess", the male chuckled a little. "Which question shall I answer first?"_

"_Well…I wish to see your face", Amy said readily. "Then I want to know your name and everything about you."_

"_Very well."_

_Gradually, the black hedgehog released her hands and took a step back. By following Amy's request, he lifts his left hand towards the mask. Amy's heart began to beat steadily as she watched his actions. Gently, the young male touched his mask and began to pull it off very slowly. The pink hedgehog's heart thumped louder as she fiddled with her fingers eagerly. At that moment, the male hedgehog was pulling the mask over his eyes…_

* * *

"Amy, wake up", Lily shook her sister smoothly.

"Huh," the eldest sister opened her eyes with a gasp. Hurriedly, she sat up and looked around. Sadly, she was in her bedroom with the sunlight coming in. "It was a dream", she whispered to herself.

"Are you alright?" Lily waved a hand at Amy's face.

"I was…until you woke me up from my beauty sleep", Amy crossed her arms.

"I am so sorry, but it is Monday again", her little sister responded nervously. "And you know what this means…"

"What?"

"Our teacher will be here today."

"Oh no. Not that wicked witch again!" Amy said disgracefully.

"What should we do? If she gets here, then we would have to suffer from her evilness", Lily paced around the room fretfully.

"Hmm…What if she gets here and doesn't see us?" Amy smiled. Her sister stopped pacing and looked at her. "If we hide from her, then maybe we won't have to deal with her today. After all, she only comes here on Mondays and Tuesdays."

"Oh…And then we can do it again", Lily hopped joyfully. "Where should we hide?"

"Follow me", Amy got out of her bed and walked out of her room with her sister close behind her.

Quietly, the two walked across the bedroom and went into the bathroom. Something told Amy that this hiding spot wasn't good. Therefore she and Lily walked out and went through a door which was to the left of Amy's room. Inside was the study room with a round table in the middle, a couple of book shelves, and a few pillows were placed by the table. So that wasn't a good hiding place either.

Lily decided to take the lead and the sisters walked down the hall and made a left turn, which led to another hallway. The first room they peeked in was a storage room. All it had was useless items all around the room. However, this may be the place where anyone would least inspect the princesses to be hiding in.

"In here", Lily whispered as she walked in.

"Oh dear", Amy sighed as she followed and closed the door behind her. The two walked over some boxes and found their way to a closet. "We should hide in here", she whispered as she opened the double doors. She and Lily shrieked as a pile of junk buried them alive.

Minutes later, Amy and Lily were able to get out of the rubble and began to clean everything up hurriedly. Suddenly, the door opened and the girls gasped. Their mother was standing at the doorway with their teacher. The teacher was a brown squirrel-chipmunk crossbreed female that wore a long black dress and had on a pair of glasses. Both she and the queen looked at the princesses oddly, wondering what was going on.

"What are you two doing?" Melissa asked her daughters.

"We…We were…" Lily tried to come up a tall tale.

"We were playing a game", Amy giggled timidly.

"Oh, um, yes, a silly game", Lily followed Amy's lie.

"Well...It doesn't matter now", their mother sighed barely. "Now, you two must wash up and get dressed. Your teacher is here, and she has plenty of lessons to teach you. Right, Ms. Acorn?" she turned to the teacher with a smile.

"Of course, of course", the teacher smiled. _"Wow, those little twits are so pathetic. I have a feeling that they were trying to hide from me. Hmph, nice try",_ she thought evilly.

"_Drats",_ Amy thought as she looked at Ms. Acorn unkindly. _"Now we have to deal with her for the rest of the day."_

After Amy and Lily took their baths and got dressed, they followed Ms. Acorn to the library in order to find a dictionary. Once they found one, Ms. Acorn suggested that they should have a spelling quiz. Amy was able to spell a few words, but Lily struggled a lot. Whenever they spelled a word wrong, Ms. Acorn would get frustrated and make them write the word about 50 times.

"Now, Lily", Ms. Acorn looked up another hard word to spell. "Spell 'arithmetic."

"Huh?" Lily gave her a confused look.

"A-rith-me-tic", Ms. Acorn grounded her teeth impatiently.

"Erm…A…R…I…T...H…M…Um…" Lily pondered.

"Oh, for the love of…A-R-I-T-H-M-E-T-I-C", the teacher shrugged.

"Oh", Lily rubbed the back of her head.

Later on, the teacher assigned them to learn some French language. Amy and Lily couldn't figure out what she was saying when she was saying harsh words in that language. They looked up the vocabulary words, but it was struggle to pronounce most of them. Same with writing sentences in French.

Lastly, Ms. Acorn ordered them to write a five page essay about what it would be like if they weren't princesses. That seemed a bit difficult to them, considering they never met anyone that was poorer than them. Through their whole life, they've only stayed in the same castle, without any permission to go anywhere. Except for the garden and the lake, even though their father thinks that it was too dangerous for them. Amy was able to finish her essay first after a couple of hours of writing. She rubbed her right arm as it developed a writer's cramp. Lily finished hers later on and rested her forehead on the table. Ms. Acorn scanned their essays and told them that they were weak and failed them. Her students now hated her even more.

Near sunset, the evil teacher finally left. As the royal parents said goodbye, the two princesses were sitting outside in the garden exhaustedly. Whenever Monday comes around, they know that they were in for some trouble. For now, they were at peace, until tomorrow.

"Why is Ms. Acorn mean to us?" Lily asked remarkably.

"That I wish I knew", Amy replied as she massaged her right hand. "Even if we told Mother and Father that we dislike her, they wouldn't listen. They think she's the best teacher for us."

"I find that pitiable. And how dare she call me an idiot for not spelling some difficult words right."

"I won't forgive her for calling my essay pathetic. One day, I'll have the courage to stand up to her."

"But if you do, then Father and Mother would be mad", Lily turned to her sister awkwardly.

"Then…Oh, what is the use?" Amy lowered her head hopelessly. "I wish that I had full control of this castle, not our father. Then we wouldn't have to deal with 'her'."

"True, but you need to get married first."

"Oh…I forgot about that."

"I never had the chance to ask, but how was the ball?" the youngster asked peculiarly.

"It is a long story, I should say", Amy looked at the sky. "For a moment, I was dancing with Prince Sonic, who seemed to be rather rude, and the next thing I knew, we were attacked."

"So the noises that I heard in my sleep were real", Lily rubbed her chin. "What else happened?"

"I was kidnapped by one of the bandits, but then, I was suddenly saved by a young man. All I could remember was that he looked like a black hedgehog with red streaks and wore a rich white mask and a fascinating suit. After that…he gave me a rose", Amy sighed dreamily. "And then…he kissed my hand and told me that we would meet again."

"Amazing", Lily nodded with a smile. "Who was he?"

"I never knew his name, nor I was able to thank him", Amy stood up from the bench. "I couldn't tell Father, because I had a feeling that he would see him as an enemy and wouldn't listen to me. So I want you to keep this as a secret for me, promise?" she turned to her sister expectantly.

"Cross my heart, hope to die", Lily said truthfully. "Our secret is safe."

"Good", Amy smiled. "Now let's go back inside. Hopefully, our dinner is ready."

"Yes, dear sister", Lily stood up. She took Amy's hand and they walked in their castle.

* * *

Ok, I'm done. I promise you, the next chapter will be better. And yes, Sally is evil again in my stories. Why? I don't know. Maybe she needs a man, LOL XD. Oh, and Sally's voice actress shall be Kath Soucie (from SatAM) Anyway, R&R, thanks!


	5. Shadow

Alright, guys, here's the fifth chapter. Yes, Labor Day is over sadly, and I think I'm catching a cold. Great…At any rate, let's see what happens in this chapter…=)

* * *

That night, Amy was looking at the moon as she held the rose against her chest. Ever since she was saved by the black hedgehog, she constantly thought about him, even during her today's lessons. For some reason, she was looking forward to see him again. What could this mean? Was she starting to develop feelings for a stranger? Sure she only met him once, but she felt like she could trust him and that she could always look up to him. Letting out a small yawn, she walked in her room, closed the curtains, and placed the rose in the vase. The clock above it read 12:00, way pass Amy's bedtime.

Before Amy could've crawled in her bed, a sudden thud was heard from behind. She gasped to herself, wondering who or what was out there. There was only one way to find out. Cautiously, she tip toed to the balcony curtains, holding her breath as she did so. She opened the curtains and widened her eyes. Standing further in front of her was the mysterious hero from the other night. He still had on the same mask and the same suit (even though the cuts were completely gone). All he did was staring at the moon with his arms crossed. Nervously, Amy took a couple of steps forward.

"Is that you?" she asked, making sure that it was really him and not anyone else. The black and red hedgehog looked over his right shoulder as soon as he heard her voice.

"Good evening", the male hedgehog smiled as he turned his full body around to face the princess.

"How did you find my room?" Amy asked inquiringly.

"To be honest, I saw you standing out here while I was on the roof", her savior replied. "I didn't want to disturb your rest, so I thought that I should stay out here, protecting you out of harms way."

"Really?"

"Yes. When I saw that you were in danger the other night, my heart told me to protect you."

"_Those words",_ Amy said in thought. "Is this a dream?" she wondered outloud.

"I doubt it", the other hedgehog said truthfully. "Everything that is happening between us is real."

"Then…You were telling the truth when you said that we would meet again", Amy started fiddling with her fingers.

"I would never lie to you", the mysterious hedgehog said softly. He took one of her hands and kissed it with passion and tenderness.

"_This young man…"_ Amy thought as she blushed. _"He is so…perfect…"_ Her mind was back into reality when she felt her hand free from the male's lips.

"I must confess", the other hedgehog spoke again. "Now that the night is young, I must admit now that you're the most beautiful girl that I have ever seen. Words cannot describe how much your beauty has captured my soul."

The princess was taken back by his words. As she figured, this young man was very gentle and romantic. Before she went into deep thought, the wind blew unhurriedly, giving her a bit of chills. She shivered as she rubbed her arms. All of the sudden, she was pulled close to the male hedgehog's body and he wrapped his arms around her for warmth. She placed an ear on his chest and listened to the rhythm of his heartbeat. A light red blush appeared on her face. For some reason, she felt safe and loved. Smiling to herself, she closed her eyes and nuzzled against his white chest fur that was somewhat exposed from his suit.

"Is that better?" the jet black hedgehog whispered, barely touching her left ear.

"Yes, thank you", Amy nodded. She felt like she was about to fall asleep.

"Perhaps you are feeling tired", the male hedgehog noticed as he rubbed her back. "Let me tuck you in."

"That would be nice", Amy yawned.

Calmly, Shadow carried her in bridal as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He walked to her bed and let her open the curtains. Lightly, he sat her on the queen sized bed and pulled the covers over her body. He caressed her cheek warmly as she sighed.

"Goodnight, dear princess", he said quietly. He pulled out another rose from his pocket and puts it in a vase next to the other one. Then he began to walk his way to the balcony.

"Oh, wait", Amy called for him as she sat up.

"What is it?" her hero looked back curiously.

"I almost forgot to say thank you for saving my life", the princess smiled.

"It was my pleasure."

"And…If it is not too much trouble, may I ask for your name?"

"…My name is Shadow", the black hedgehog answered.

With that said, he walked out to the balcony and closed the curtains. Amy could see his figure because of the moonlight. She watched him bow and then jump up into the air. Amazed by his actions, she got out of her bed and ran outside. She looked for him until she saw him running across the roof with such incredible speed. To her surprise, she has never seen anyone that could be so fast and strong. Even so, she really liked him a lot. A smile came up on her face.

"Shadow…I'll remember that", she said lovingly.

* * *

Sorry if this chapter was short, but I did the best I could. And finally, they met again! Will they see each other again? And what has happened to Sonic? What path lies for the two young hedgehogs? Well, tune in next time when the sixth chapter arrives. I did type this last night and decided to upload it today, so yeah. Now I need to figure out who would be a good voice actor for Shadow. David Humphrey or Jason Griffith? Argh, I like both of them! Who should it be? Anyway, R&R, thankies!


	6. Making Melodies

Gosh, I'm like excited to continue this story. I have so many ideas! My writer's block is going away! Although, I still have a cold. *Cough, cough*. Anyway, enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Early on the next day, Amy was still in her bed, sleeping peacefully. Of course, she had a smile on her face as she remembered seeing Shadow last night. He was the only man that has ever made her happy. She couldn't help but dream about him in her sleep. If only she could sleep all day and wake up in the late evening to see him again. That would be a dream come true…

Unfortunately, her dream was coming to an end. By the sound of a trombone, Amy screamed and fell out of her bed. Gasping for air, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. She looked up to see that it was her teacher who disturbed her beauty sleep.

"Ms. Acorn? What are you doing here?" Amy looked at the clock. "It's 7 o'clock. Usually, you're here at 10."

"Hmph. Well, too bad, because I have to do early lessons with you", Ms. Acorn replied rudely. "And today, you are going to learn how to play music."

"Why?"

"Well, your parents thought that it would be wise for you to find your talent at this time of your life. Now, get up and get dressed!"

"Grr…" Amy narrowed her eyebrows coldly.

After Amy got dressed, she was led to the music room where she saw her sister waiting for them. Inside this room was full of musical instruments that looked like they weren't used for quite sometime. Everyone could see the dust all around the room, even on the various instruments.

"We're going to practice in here?" Lily asked as she scratched her head. "There is dust everywhere."

"Hush, little girl", the teacher shushed her. "Today, you two will learn how to play your own instruments. Amy, you are going to play the violin while Lily is going to play the piano."

"But what if we are not good at them?" the little one questioned.

"Well, then", Ms. Acorn placed her hands on her hips. "I guess you two will have to practice until sunset, whether you like it or not."

"What?" Amy raised an eyebrow.

"Or you could write a ten page essay on why you two never keep your mouths shut", the teacher glared at her unkindly. Neither the two girls spoke. "That's what to thought."

Through the entire day, the two princesses struggled to deal with their teacher and their painful music lessons. All of their music scores were basically sad music. Everytime they messed up on a note, the teacher would get frustrated and make them play it again from the beginning. Of all of the teachers they had to deal with, why Ms. Acorn? Couldn't the king find a much nicer teacher for his daughters? And does Ms. Acorn really care about her students? Or does she care about the money she gets paid at the end of the day? Why was she always mean to the princesses anyway?

Finally, it was time for Ms. Acorn to leave. She warned them to keep practicing until she returned next week so that way she could judge their skills. Lily refused to touch the piano again as Amy decided to leave her violin in the music room. However, their parents told them that they need to practice more so they could stay on Ms. Acorn's good side, even if they didn't want to. Yes, even their parents seem to be on the evil teacher's side, only when it comes to the lessons that their daughters are receiving. They could teach them, but they always have duties to attend to. Even the guards and servants didn't have the time to teach the girls anything for one day. So the two princesses have to deal with 'her' for as long as they or she lives…

Soon enough, the sky was dark and it was time for everyone to rest for the night. Unfortunately, Lily and Amy had to keep practicing until they got their music notes right. With a miracle, Lily was able to finish hers and quickly went to bed. Amy still had to practice, even if it would take her all night. Her father told her that if she could learn the lesson and repeat it correctly in the morning, then he would let her take a day off from her violin. Without a doubt, Amy was getting sick of playing the wooden instrument, so she decided to take that chance.

It was midnight when Amy was finishing her music score. She only had a couple breaks, which was to eat dinner and to get ready for bed. So far, she was nearly good with playing the music score in the correct way. Although, she was starting to grow tired. She stopped playing the sad melody and yawned to herself. It was only best if she practiced some more tomorrow when she was focused. Quietly, she sat the violin and the bow on her dark pink lounge chair and walked to her bed.

Her ears twitched as she hears some music coming from outside. She walked to the balcony in order to hear the melody clearly. She turned around and saw someone playing a small instrument as he stood on the roof. The person that was playing the beautiful music was Shadow. Amy sighed dreamily as she continued to be his audience. Under the moonlight, he continued to play the calm music with his eyes closed. It sounded like a flute, but the object in his hands was too small to be that. Whatever the instrument was, it definitely had a wonderful sound. The nearest guards began to fall asleep as they snored softly.

Once Shadow was done playing with his instrument, he made his way to Amy. He jumped off the roof and landed in front of her carefully. Out of the blue, he received a loving hug from Amy. He could tell that she was happy to see him. With a small smile, he held her close and rested his chin on her head.

"You came back", Amy looked at him gladly.

"Yes", Shadow nodded. "I came back in order to see you again."

"I'm glad", the princess rested on his chest. "I missed you…Although, what was that you were playing earlier?"

"This?" her admirer held up a small wooden object. "It is an ocarina, a wind instrument."

"Ohh…" Amy examined it. "So the beautiful melody came from that?"

"Correct", Shadow replied. "When I arrived, I overheard a song, a song filled with sadness and grief."

"Well, that was me playing the violin", Amy explained. "I was ordered to practice from the music sheet by my father and my evil teacher."

"Teacher?"

"Her name is Ms. Acorn. Believe me when I say this; she is the saddest, meanest woman that I have ever met."

"It seems like she wants you to play that melody for her own misery."

"True. Although, I would like to give that ocarina a try", Amy suggested.

"I'll teach you", her beloved promised.

An hour has passed since Shadow was able to teach Amy how to play his ocarina. She did struggle for a bit, but he took his time to help her out. To be honest, she rather have Shadow as her own teacher instead of Ms. Acorn. Besides that he was smart and considerate, he was extremely handsome and dreamy. Finally, Amy was able to master the ocarina and began to perform the same piece of music that Shadow played previously. As she did so, the black hedgehog had his arms wrapped around her waist from behind and had his chin resting on her left shoulder. Love was in the air between those two. A while later, Amy finished playing the ocarina.

"How did I do?" she asked optimistically.

"You did great", Shadow complemented. "Well, I must be off now", he released her.

"So soon?" Amy turned to him. "I was starting to enjoy your company."

"I know, but you need your rest. I promise that I will come back. Look for me tomorrow at midnight and I shall be on the rooftop waiting to see you", the black and red hedgehog reminded her.

"I'll remember that", the princess nodded. "Do you want this back?" she held his ocarina to him.

"Keep it", Shadow placed his hand on it and let the other one touch Amy's hand. "Whenever you feel lonely, just play it so that way you can think about me."

"Oh…Then I'll treasure this with my life", Amy smiled.

The black hedgehog pulled out another rose from his front pocket and gave it to her. She looked at it admirably, appreciating the gift. She knows that there wasn't a rose bush in the royal garden so it was obvious that Shadow couldn't have found all of those roses there. Still, she wondered where he finds them at. Before long, she felt Shadow's hand under her chin. She gasped as she looked at him timorously. Shadow moved in and gave her a smooth kiss on the cheek. At that moment, Amy's face blushed red.

"Sweet dreams, my love", Shadow said affectionately. He jumped up to the roof and took off running in order to make his exit.

Quietly, Amy felt her left cheek, where she received the kiss. Her heart was still pounding due to her anxiousness. A sweet smile came up on her face. Something was building inside her. What was it? Could it be love? Alas, she was living in a dream come true. She was so glad that she made her wish on the shooting star days ago. Now, she has a handsome man that loved her just like the princesses in the fairy tales. Obviously, she feels like the luckiest girl alive.

"I think…I'm in love", she said contentedly.

* * *

Aww, what a sweet chapter. And hooray for a Legend of Zelda reference! Well, sorry I took long to update, been busy with homework and crap. R&R, thanks! P.S., for those who care, Shadow's voice shall be provided by Jason Griffith. Sweet! And the melody that Shadow was playing is from a game called Evolution Worlds. It's old, but I remember that game. I remember the melody from one of the characters that played the ocarina all the time and I loved the music that they played. Although, I don't know the name of that melody sadly. Oh, well, hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	7. The Wrong Idea

Holy shit, it's almost the weekend! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, stupid school, errands to run, I had an anatomy test this week (which I did pretty good on) and well, too much homework. (Sigh) But I'm free from bullcrap; I might as well continue the story!

* * *

King Isaac was pacing back and forth in the front hall. His mind was circling with questions and concerns for the whole wedding engagement. It has been a while since Sonic and Amy have spent time with each other, so he figured that he should get them together somehow. Growling quietly, he rubs his eye temples. His wife walked downstairs in her long green gown as she yawned.

"What are you pacing about now?" she asks tiredly as she makes her way to Isaac.

"Something tells me that we need to make sure that Sonic is the one that Amy will marry so that way everything will be perfect", the king replied.

"Are you sure that he is the one for her?" the queen questioned. "They have only met once."

"Still, you know what they say, 'there is love at first sight'. After all, those two did share a wonderful dance together, did they not?"

"True, they did."

"Not only that, but he also protected her from the bandits."

"She still got kidnapped."

"Well…That's not the point. What matters now is that we should devise a plan to bring them closer."

"Even so, would their love grow? Does she even miss him?"

"You may never know."

Before Melissa replied, she and Isaac suddenly began to hear humming. They turned their direction to Amy, who was sliding down the right stair banister. Her eyes were closed and she appeared to have a smile on her face. The royal parents gazed at her with surprise and nosiness. What could be on her mind? Why was she humming joyfully?

"Amy?" Isaac spoke.

"Hm?" Amy stopped humming and turned to him.

"Are you…feeling alright?" Melissa asked her daughter weirdly.

"Yes, I'm fine", the teenager nodded. "Nothing to worry about."

"If you say so", Isaac rubbed his chin. "Go on and eat breakfast. Your mother and I are going back to our room", he took his wife's hand and led her upstairs.

"Um, alright", Amy raised an eyebrow and then walked away.

Once she was out of sight, Isaac's pace built up as he dashed through the hall with Melissa right behind him. Soon enough, they end up in their bedroom whilst Isaac slammed and locked the door. He sighed silently as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"What is this all about?" Melissa had her hands on her hips.

"Honey, did you not see what I saw?" Isaac took her hands excitedly. "I think Amy is in love with Sonic!"

"Really?"

"Yes. When you are in love, you feel happy and no matter what happens, it won't stop you from smiling. As a matter of fact, it has been a while since we've seen Amy smile."

"True…Maybe she wants to see him again."

"Ah, of course. We shall arrange a little get-together for those two. She will thank me later", Isaac said with pride. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door behind him. He opened it and saw the same brown fox with a note in his hand. "What is it, Eric?"

"Message from Mobius Kingdom, your majesty", the messenger held up the letter to him.

Impatiently, the king took the letter and read it to himself. Melissa tried to get a peek, but he took a step back from her so she wouldn't distract him. The king murmured a few things and nodded with glee. After he finished reading the letter, he hands it to his wife.

"I think it's just a mere coincidence", the king smiled with his arms crossed.

"I see…So the kingdom has invited the whole family to attend a ball tomorrow night", Melissa read outloud.

"This is perfect!" Isaac stated. "Once Amy and Sonic see each other again, they will become closer, and just before we know it, he'll ask her hand in marriage."

"That would be wonderful", the queen smiled. "Should we tell Amy?"

"Yes, but a little later though. I think she is still eating breakfast", the king looked at his pocket watch.

Downstairs in the kitchen, Lily was eating her breakfast slowly as she gazed at her older sister. Amy was too busy daydreaming with a smile on her face. Of course, it was about Shadow. She has never felt so alive. Everything about him was just wonderful, she couldn't ask for a better man to be in her life. She sighed happily as she blushed. Just as she thought, she was in love.

"Amy? Are you…feeling well?" Lily asked strangely. "Hello?" she snapped her fingers loudly.

"Huh?" Amy woke up from her daydream. "What?"

"You barely ate your breakfast", Lily commented.

"Um…" Amy looked at her plate which had fresh fruit, eggs, and a piece of coffee cake. "Oh."

"What is on your mind? Is it about 'somebody'?" Lily asked pryingly.

"So what if it is?" Amy crossed her arms. "Do you promise not to tell?"

"Our secret is safe. What is his name?"

"…Shadow."

"Have you been seeing him?"

"At night."

"Can I meet him?"

"No."

"Ah, you're just scared that I might take your man away", the little one joked and started laughing.

"Why you…" Amy growled.

"Excuse me, Amy, but your father wishes to speak to you", a maid came up to Amy.

"_Now what?"_ the teenage princess rolled her eyes. "I will talk to you later", she told Lily and then made her way out. As she walked to her parents' room, she wondered what they wanted with her. Hopefully it had nothing to do with any wedding arrangements. As soon as she reached to the bedroom door, she knocked on it.

"Come on in", her father opened the door for her. Amy walked in feeling tensed as she gulped. "Sit", her father pointed to the bed.

"We just want to have a conversation with you, dear child", Melissa said nicely as her daughter sat next to her.

"About what?" Amy finally spoke.

"Well…" Isaac closed the door. "We have noticed your behavior earlier and we're just curious."

"Curious?" the daughter scratched her head. "Well, I am not ill, and I just feel happy today, that's all."

"Amy, are you in love?" the king blurted out.

"Huh!?" Amy blushed red as she widened her eyes.

"Hmm…It is just as I thought", the king rubbed his chin. "I knew you would like him."

"Him?"

"Why, Sonic, of course", the mother patted Amy on the back.

"No, I-I think you have it all wrong", Amy shook her head.

"Oh, really? Then who is it? Have we met him? Where is he from? And how did you two meet? And what does he have that Sonic does not have?" Isaac quizzed his daughter.

"Uh…" Amy barely spoke. _"What should I do? Should I lie or tell the truth? If I lie, then they might try to bring me and Sonic together, even if I don't like him. But if I tell the truth, then Father might see Shadow as a threat. After all, I don't even know if he is a prince. Even so, I might put him in danger. I am so confused",_ she thought agitatedly.

"Well?" her father raised his voice a little, making the two females jump.

"I-It's nothing", Amy lied.

"Hmph, whatever. It doesn't matter anyway, because you are going to see him tomorrow night."

"I am?"

"Yes. The Mobius Kingdom is having a ball, and I will be damned if you refuse to go."

"But…What if I do not like him then?"

"There is no time for 'what ifs'. You will go, whether you like it or not."

The young pink hedgehog kept her head down with sadness, anger, and worry. Surely she disliked Sonic, but she had to tell a lie. She knew that she couldn't cause any trouble between her father and her secret sweetheart. Still, she loved Shadow and she could see herself with him forever. But that won't stop her father from making decisions for her. Why must he be selfish? Does he have a heart all? Amy began to think that this whole wedding business was just for him and not for her.

"You just don't care about my happiness", Amy muttered quietly yet coldly.

"Pardon?" Isaac raised an eyebrow. With that said, his daughter quickly rushed out of the room with tears in her eyes. He watches her run to her room as she covers her face. A large sigh escaped from his lips.

"Isaac…" Melissa stood up.

"Now, now, she is just being naive, that's all", her husband replied with serene. "Once she and Sonic reunite, then she will change her mind."

"Are you sure?"

"I am sure. After all, the king is always right."

"_So they say",_ Melissa thought sarcastically.

Through the entire day, Amy refused to leave her room, except to have something to eat. Her mind was lost and yet sad. She was scared to stand up to her powerful father. Plus, she was scared for Shadow's sake. Now she had to deal with that snob Sonic. Who knows what could happen between them. What if he asks her hand in marriage? Even if she said no, her father would force her, since he thinks that Sonic is the best choice for her. How was she going to tell Shadow? Would they be able to see each other even when Amy's married? So many questions ran through her mind as she rested in her bed. All of this stress was killing her inside.

At the stroke of midnight, Amy was pacing back and forth on the balcony. She had to tell Shadow what went on throughout the day and how she felt. Hopefully, they could work something out. Before Amy could've lost her mind, Shadow landed near her from the rooftop.

"Shadow", Amy turned to him and gave him a hug. "I am so glad that you are here."

"Is everything alright?" Shadow asked with concern.

"No", Amy released him. "I have to go to a ball tomorrow night, at Mobius Kingdom. There may be a possibility that I may not make it back at midnight."

"I understand", her beloved caressed her left cheek.

"Well, there is more to that. I am forced to go because there is a prince named Sonic and…my father wants me to marry him", the princess lowered her head. "Although, I do not love him."

"So you have to go, even when you do not want to?"

"Well, I tried to explain to my father, but if I told him about you, then he might go mad. And I did not want you to be in danger because of me. So I had to lie in order to keep you safe."

Once Amy was done explaining her case, she wiped a couple of tears from her eyes. Shadow pulled her close and rubbed her back comfortably. He was able to learn more about her, mostly about her life. Sure he was not scared of the king, but he did not want to worry Amy. So he had to do all he could in order to be with her and yet keep his presence enigmatic. Just then, an idea came up in his mind.

"I have an idea", he spoke.

"What is it?" Amy looked up at him.

"Meet me at the ball."

"It could work, but what if you need an invitation? What if they see you as an enemy? What if-?" Amy stopped questioning once she felt Shadow's fingertip upon her lips.

"They will never know", Shadow whispered. "As long as we have our distance from the ball, then nothing could go wrong. Let us meet at a royal garden, that is, if the kingdom has one", he separated his finger from her lips.

The princess pondered for a moment. That did sound like a good plan, but there could be risks. If Sonic or anyone else saw them, then they would be in deep trouble. However, Amy did want to spend more time with Shadow, not Sonic. She only hoped for the best.

"I understand", she looked at Shadow truthfully. "What time shall I meet you?"

"At the same time, midnight", the dark hedgehog replied. "One more thing, keep everything between us as a secret, alright?"

"I promise", the female hedgehog nodded.

"Good", Shadow caressed her cheek again. He leaned in and gave her a tender kiss on the forehead. After that, he gave her another red rose.

"Oh, Shadow", Amy smiled. "I wish I was forced to marry you instead of Sonic."

"Then maybe we can get married, secretly", Shadow suggested.

"Really?" Amy gasped with shock.

"Yes, tomorrow night", Shadow took her left hand. "It does not matter what anyone else would say, as long as we have each other." He kissed her hand gently.

"Oh…I can't wait."

"It is getting late. Would you like me to tuck you in?"

"Yes."

Strongly, Shadow carried Amy in bridal style as she giggled. She rested her head on his chest as he walked to her bed. Before he reached her bed, she placed the rose in the vase right next to the other roses that she received. After all, she did enjoy them as much as she enjoyed Shadow. The black and red hedgehog placed his darling on the bed and pulled the covers over her so she wouldn't get cold.

"Good night, Amy", he whispered.

"Sweet dreams, Shadow", Amy yawned with a smile.

Pleasantly, the dark hedgehog gave her a kiss on the cheek and made his way out. After that, he jumped up to the roof, leaving his beloved to rest. Amy watched him as she sighed adoringly. She couldn't wait until the next night. Despite that she might have to deal with Sonic, she was only excited to be with Shadow in their concealed reunion. Smiling to herself, she falls asleep.

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Yay, I'm finally done! I did start on this chappie on Monday and now it's Saturday morning at midnight. Stupid homework, damn you! Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! We'll see what happens next in the next chapter! Adios!


	8. Awkwardness

Hey, guys! What's up? Yeah, I know, I'm updating on the weekend, but hey, this chappie's here, right? So I hope you guys enjoy this. R&R, thankies! Remember, I don't own the characters in this fic.

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The next evening, everyone was getting ready for the ball at Mobius Kingdom. The king was over excited because he could finally meet the parent(s) of Sonic and discuss about the wedding plans. Melissa was sort of excited yet sort of uninterested. She didn't want to go through any catastrophe like this kingdom did at their ball. Still, she knows that Mobius Kingdom was ultra strong, so maybe she didn't need to worry much. Lily was a bit anxious to go to the ball. Sure she might be youngest there, but she just wanted to be out of the castle for a while and see what Mobius Kingdom looked like. As for Amy, she wasn't excited at all. Hopefully, she would meet Shadow there as they agreed to. And hopefully nothing goes wrong.

Around ten o'clock, the family made it to Mobius Kingdom by a carriage. Everyone stepped out and gazed at the castle before them. It was massively huge! The structure was off white and the roof was sapphire colored.

"Amazing…" Isaac lifted up his chin a little higher.

"It's bigger than our castle!" Melissa rubbed her eyes.

"Wow…" Lily smiled.

"Hmph", Amy crossed her arms.

"Well, then, shall we?" Isaac asked his family. He began to walk to the entrance as the three female hedgehogs followed him.

"Halt!" one of the guards held his hand out.

"We were invited", Isaac pulled out the invitation quickly. "We come from Emerald Kingdom."

"They're our special guests!" another guard gasped. "Please, excuse us."

"Oh, yes", the first guard opened one of the tall doors. "This way please", he led the family inside.

Inside the ball room, many people were enjoying themselves as they shared dances, conversations, and drinks. Of course, there were symphony musicians playing some enjoyable music. Prince Sonic was sleeping as he sat on his throne. His mother, Queen Aleena, noticed him and shook him roughly to wake him up.

"What?" Sonic asked groggily.

"Stay awake, or otherwise you'll miss your princess", his mother replied.

"If I knew that she was going to be late, I would've tried some wine", Sonic yawned.

"Sonic, you are not going to drink wine until the day of your wedding. Now stop being so naive", Aleena crossed her arms.

"But I'm already 18."

"That's not the point, Sonic."

The mother and son began to hear some chattering and looked up ahead. One of the guards was leading their special guests to them. Isaac wore an emerald green doublet that had an attached cape, a golden jerkin, long black breeches, a pair of black durable shoes, and of course, his pure golden crown with rubies placed on it. Melissa wore a long turquoise blue dress with matching jewelry and had on a golden tiara with a sapphire piece in the middle of it. Lily was wearing a small sized amethyst dress with long sleeves and her hair was braided down to her back with an amethyst ribbon tied to it. Sonic paid more attention to Amy's feature. She wore a long light pink ball gown that nearly matched her skin complexion, had on pink earrings, and wore a diamond collar around her neck. Plus, she had her hair tied in a bun by a red ribbon. The blue hedgehog blushed as he gulped.

"Your majesties, I present you King Isaac, Queen Melissa, and their two daughters, Amy and Lily", the guard introduced them.

"Ah, I am so glad that you all were able to come", Aleena stood up joyfully.

"Please to meet you", the other parents bowed.

"Amy, we should bow", Lily nudged her sister.

"Fine", Amy sighed harshly. She and Lily bowed a little.

"Sonic, don't be rude. Bow", Aleena poked her son on the cheek. He continued to stare at Amy romantically. "I see that he remembers Amy very well", she smiled at her guests.

"Why yes", Isaac nodded. "And I am certain that Amy remembers him as well", he turned to his eldest daughter who was looking in a different direction. "Amy, stop being rude", he whispered snappily.

"Oh, um, sorry", Amy turned back to Queen Aleena and Prince Sonic hurriedly.

"Oh, you have to forgive her. She is shy", Melissa chuckled.

"That is alright, it happens", Aleena smiled again. "Sonic, ask her to dance", she murmured to her son edgily. "Do I have to tell you everything?"

"Fine, fine", her son shrugged and walked to Amy. "Shall we dance?" he offered a hand benevolently.

The pink hedgehog looked at him strangely, considering that she didn't enjoy their last dance. It was also interrupted by the bandits, so Amy had to be cautious for the time being. She looked over at her parents, wondering what could be on their minds. Her mother nodded with a smile as her father crossed his arms intolerantly. Sighing to herself, she takes Sonic's hand and they began to walk to the dance floor. Shortly after that, they began to dance at their own pace whilst the orchestra crew continued to play the same song.

"Now then", Aleena spoke. "Shall I show you around?"

"That would be nice", Isaac replied politely.

"Yes it would", Melissa nodded.

"I hope we don't get lost", Lily said with uneasiness.

While the two teenagers were dancing, Amy kept thinking about the rest of the night. All she wanted to do was to be with Shadow, not Sonic. In fact, she rather dance with Shadow instead of her 'soon-to-be-husband'. She avoided eye contact with the blue hedgehog and decided to keep an eye on their feet. Luckily, she dodged Sonic's accidental steps a couple of times. The prince looked at her with inquisitiveness.

"Why do you look so sad?" he asked with concern.

"I…To be honest, I…I did not want to come here?" Amy replied emotionlessly.

"Why?" Sonic asked as he made Amy do a twirl.

"I just wasn't in the mood, that's all", Amy answered, continuing to watch their feet.

"Hmm…" Sonic pondered to himself. "Come with me right quick", he took one of Amy's hands and led her out of the ball room.

"Wait, where are we going?" the princess asked peculiarly.

A while later, Sonic led Amy to a corridor where no one else was around. It was just the two of them, alone in a large corridor with a few candles placed upon the walls. Amy was feeling uneasy about this. What if Sonic was going to make his way on her? Or what if he was going to propose to her? She knew that she had to wait for Shadow, but she wasn't sure she was going to get away from the blue hedgehog. She gulped as Sonic looked around for any nosy people.

"Sonic", the pink hedgehog barely spoke. "Why did you bring me here?"

At first, Sonic didn't answer her question because he was still making sure that no one was spying on them. Amy sighed as she slapped her forehead. She feels like she was wasting a lot of time with him and wanted to leave immediately. While she wasn't paying attention, Sonic walked to her, not taking his eyes off of her. He placed his hands on her shoulders delicately, making her gasp. With easiness, he placed Amy against the wall. The pink hedgehog began to blush.

"You look so beautiful tonight", he whispered tenderly.

"I, uh…thank you?" Amy responded with a gulp.

"No, I mean it", Sonic continued. "You look so beautiful; I don't think I would ever find a woman that was young and stunning as you. And…I want to get to know you."

"You do?"

"Yes. The night is young, it is ours", the blue hedgehog caressed her cheek sweetly. "And we have no one to disturb us", he whispered at her ear, just about touching it. Amy's face was almost completely red.

"Sonic, I…I do not know what to say."

"Say no more, dear princess. Just tell me you love me. Tell me that I am the one for you, and I shall confess that I am the one for you."

At that moment, Sonic closed his eyes and leaned in for a kiss. Amy's heart began to pound as she watched him. But then, she began to remember something. Her heart was telling her that she has Shadow and that he was the one for her. She had to save her first kiss for him before it was too late. Just in time, Amy placed a couple of fingertips on Sonic's lips before he could've captured hers.

"What is it?" the blue hedgehog backed up a little.

"I can't", Amy lowered her head. "I won't."

"What?"

"I want to save my first kiss until I am married."

"Oh, I see."

"Although…you are not the one for me."

"What?" Sonic raised a brow objectionably. "How can you say that? We are getting married, are we not?"

"That does not matter to me", the female hedgehog shook her head. "To tell you the truth, I do not love you."

By that comment, Sonic looked at her with shock. He felt like they would be able to share something new with each other, but no. He instead got turned down. Suspicions began to enter his mind. If he was not the one for her, then who was? Does she have heart for someone else? Now he was starting to get jealous.

"Amy, you have to give me a chance", he said as nicely as he could. "Open your heart to me and I can show you that I can be the man of your dreams."

"No, Sonic. It is not worth it", Amy broke free from his grasp. "You might as well find someone else", she walked away from him.

The prince slapped his forehead with annoyance. This girl was different from others. When he visits the village, all of the women would praise him and would do anything for him. Perhaps Amy was not that kind of girl. Still, he wanted to be with her and to get to know her. Feeling frustrated, he walks back to the ball room. He did not see any sign of Amy, her family or his mother. Nonetheless, he was on his own. He looked to his left and noticed a bottle of red wine was placed on a table without any notice. After all, he always wanted to try some wine ever since he was younger, considering that he sometimes saw his mother drink some. Patiently, he walked to the table and poured a glass of wine. Then he drank it down fast.

"Mmm…Delicious", he smiled a little. Then he poured some more and drank it. And then drank another glass, and another, and another…

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LOL, Sonic's getting drunk. Remember kiddies, don't drink until you're 21, and people, don't drink and drive and don't drink too much. Lesson learned folks! R&R, thanks!


	9. Romantic Moment Interrupted

Well, guess what, I'm back again. Thank god it's the weekend. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! =)

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Later on, Amy decided to take a walk through the royal garden. It was actually larger and wider than hers, considering that this kingdom had more space. Aside from that, the scenery was fascinating. There were many flowered bushes each side of the stoned pathway, a few flower trees, and a large circular fountain was placed at the upper right corner of the garden with decorated angel statues attached to it. Plus, a lot of yellow fireflies were hovering around the area. All of this exploring was starting to make Amy smile. She wished that her courtyard was this beautiful. Better yet, she wished that she could spend time with Shadow, out here in wide open space. She didn't care if anyone had anything to say about it.

Soon enough, she was deep within the garden as she spotted a small folly surrounded by violet bushes. She decided that she should wait for Shadow there as well as keeping her distance from the ball. Quietly, she walks under the white folly and takes a seat on a stoned bench. She looked around and saw some violet vines tied upon the folly. Sure this spot was beautiful, but she was all alone. Feeling tired, she lies on the bench and falls asleep.

An hour and a half later, Amy felt someone's hand caressing her cheek. Sitting up at a slow pace, she rubs her eyes. Then she looks up and sees that it was Shadow that woke her up. A cheerful gasp escaped her lips as she stood up.

"You look very beautiful tonight. Miss me?" Shadow opened his arms fondly. Amy jumped onto him as she gave him a heart-warming hug. The black hedgehog held her close, not wanting to let her go. A little while later, he decidedly released her and she landed back on the ground.

"You made it", the princess smiled with gladness.

"It was no trouble finding this place", Shadow shrugged his shoulders. "After all, this is the mightiest kingdom of all, correct?"

"It is", Amy nodded. "But how did you get here?"

"I ran."

"Did you rest while you were on your way?"

"Not at all. I am a faster runner."

"Oh, right, I forgot", Amy rubbed the back of her head.

"Has anything happened?" Shadow questioned her.

"Well, I did share a dance with Sonic, even though I didn't enjoy it at all", the pink hedgehog explained. "After that, he took me to an empty corridor and…he tried to kiss me."

"You don't say", the dark hedgehog said with a hint of irritation in his voice.

"But I was able to avoid it because…I wanted to save it for you", Amy confessed to him.

"Amy…" Shadow looked at her devotedly.

Meanwhile, Sonic was gulping down his third bottle of red wine. Some of the guests looked at him oddly and decided to walk away from him. The butler watched him as he blinked twice. He only prayed that the queen wouldn't find out about this. Not too long, Sonic finished the bottle and burped.

"Bring me more", the prince slurred as he wobbled a little.

"I am afraid I cannot do that", the butler took the empty bottle. "First of all, the wine is for our guests. And second of all, you know your mother does not want you to drink."

"I can drink if I-(hiccup)-damn well please", Sonic replied rudely. "Wait…Where is Amy? I need to teach her a lesson", he looks around.

"I am not sure, your majesty", the butler shrugged his shoulders. "Surely she is not in here, so perhaps she is at the garden, or-"

"Fine, I will check the-(hiccup)-garden", the drunken teenager strolled away as he wobbled a bit more. As he was looking for the garden, he bumped into a few people. "Sorry", he slurred. Then he bumped into another person. "My apologies." After that, he bumped into a statue and hurt his foot. "Oww!!" he held his left foot while hopping on the other. "Curses!" he hissed and then hiccupped.

While he was still looking for the royal patio, the symphony group began to play a soft, romantic melody. Most of the men took their ladies' hands and led them to the middle of the ball room. Then they began to dance ever so gracefully. Outside, Amy and Shadow could hear the music from the garden.

"Amy", Shadow offered a hand. "May I have this dance?"

"Yes, Shadow", Amy smiled and took his hand.

The two walked away from the folly and reached to the stoned path. Shadow placed an arm around Amy's waist and continued to hold her left hand. Amy placed her other hand on his shoulder. Momentarily, they began to dance under the moonlight. Of course, love was in the air between them. Everything was so perfect for them. The place, the music, and the beautiful midnight sky. And yes, each other. Without noticing, a few fireflies circled along with the two hedgehogs as they continued to dance. A few minutes later, they stopped.

"What is it, Shadow?" the pink hedgehog asked.

"Dearest sweet princess…" the black hedgehog spoke charmingly as he took her left hand. He got down one knee. "Will you accept this ring for our marriage?" he pulls out a golden ring. Of course, he had his on.

"Oh, Shadow, it's beautiful!" Amy gasped happily. "Yes", she nodded with small tears.

The ebony hedgehog puts the ring through his beloved's finger. He stood up and Amy gave him a hug with delight. She nuzzled against his chest with a smile and a few more tears. This was a new yet wonderful experience for her. Her dreams were finally coming true. Now she is married to a man that loves her dearly with all of his heart. Shadow held her close as he rested his chin on her head. He never thought he would fall in love with her and marry her shortly after that. However, he felt like he has found the right one, the love that he was waiting for. He lifted Amy's chin and looked deeply into her eyes. The pink hedgehog blushed as she gazed at him. Taking his time, Shadow leaned for her lips. Amy closed her eyes and waited for the kiss.

"Amyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!" a familiar voice called out.

"Uh-oh", the princess looked around.

"What is it?" Shadow stopped.

"It's him", Amy whispered worriedly. "If he sees us, then we will get in trouble."

"I'm not scared of him", the black hedgehog said with cockiness.

"But Shadow…" the princess felt scared.

"Look, he can't even walk straight", Shadow looked up ahead.

"Huh?" Amy turned around.

Just as Shadow said, Sonic was wobbling all over the place. He called out for Amy a couple times, but his sentences ended with hiccups. Next, he leaned to the right a little and fell to the ground. The pink hedgehog raised an eyebrow strangely. What was he doing here and why was he wobbling? Besides the fact that she was a bit embarrassed, she was mostly angry at him for interrupting their moment. Shadow smirked, thinking that he should teach Sonic a lesson. He releases Amy and begins to walk to the blue hedgehog.

"Shadow, wait", Amy took one of his arms.

"You have nothing to worry about", the black hedgehog said. "I won't hurt him…much." With that said, Amy unrestricted him and he walked to Sonic.

"Ughhh-(hiccup)…Where am I?" the drunken prince stood up.

"You are Sonic, correct?" a sudden voice said.

"Of course I am-(hiccup)", Sonic slurred sharply. "Who wants to know?" he looks around for the voice.

"Let me make this clear", Shadow warned him. "If you do anything to Amy in any way, you will regret it."

"Who says you can tell me what to do?!" Sonic yelled angrily. "She is none of your business!"

"Is that so?" the dark hedgehog crackled his fists. Powerfully, he punches Sonic in the jaw, making him slide back on the ground for a while.

"Why you-(hiccup)", the blue hedgehog got up and charged at his blurry opponent. He tried to punch him, but he missed every single time. Before long, the black hedgehog grabbed one of his arms and threw him over his shoulder. "Oww!" the prince shouted painfully as he landed on his back. "I am just warming up!" he gets up and charges at the other hedgehog.

"Please…" Shadow murmured sarcastically. He began to walk backwards as he dodged Sonic's weak thrown punches. With great prediction, he steps to the side, letting Sonic fall in the fountain.

"Help! I cannot swim!" the prince cried helplessly as he moved around in the water.

"Serves you right", the black hedgehog left him behind and walked to Amy.

Through the whole battle, Amy did worry about Sonic seeing him and reporting him to her father. But thanks to Shadow's strength, he was able to set him straight. He did deserve it, considering he disturbed their peace. When Amy saw Sonic fall in the fountain and crying for help, she started laughing. It is a shame that her father does not know that he picked the wrong choice for Amy (again). Obviously, because he is pathetic. The young princess continued to laugh as she held her stomach.

"You're laughing", Shadow spoke as he stood in front of her.

"Huh?" Amy stopped and looked at him. "Is that bad?"

"No, I like your laugh", Shadow caressed her cheek. "It lets me know that you're happy."

"Aaw…" the princess smiled dreamily at him. She closes her eyes and stands on her tepee toes.

The dark hedgehog figured out what she wanted and caressed her cheeks gently. Then he leans for her lips again. Although, their moment was interrupted when they overheard Sonic's guards coming this way. Yet again, Sonic was the problem.

"Not again", Shadow growled fiercely as he looked back.

"You must hide", Amy told him. "Let us meet again at my balcony later on tonight."

"Very well", the black hedgehog agreed. Hurriedly, he dashes off so he wouldn't get caught.

"Phew", Amy sighed in relief.

"Are you alright?" one of the guards helped the prince out of the fountain.

"Cold…It is so cold…" Sonic wrapped his arms around his body for warmth. Another hiccup escaped his lips.

"Idiot", Amy crossed her arms and walks back to the folly feeling frustrated.

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I'm done! Yays! Hope you enjoyed the chappie! It took me a couple of hours to complete. And bad Sonic, bad! Shame on you for drinking without permission and ruining that romantic moment, twice. Oh well, hopefully Amy and Shadow won't be interrupted again in the next chapter. R&R, thank you!


	10. First Kiss

Blah, I hate getting sick over and over again. It really pisses me off. Damn the flu to hell! Ahem, yeah, that's the main reason why I haven't updated in a while (besides too much homework again). But thank god I didn't have the swine flu, just a cold. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

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"I saw him! I swear!" Sonic broke free from the guards and looked around angrily.

"What are you talking about?" one of the knights asked.

"_Uh-oh",_ Amy said in thought. Sneakily, she took off her ring and hid it in her mouth and turned around.

"He was here, I swear! After him!" the prince yelled again.

"Miss, did something happen here?" another knight looked at Amy.

"Well…I was sitting at the folly, minding my own business, until I heard Sonic screaming. When I came here, I saw him swimming in the fountain", the princess told a lie while making sure she doesn't choke on her ring.

"Why you… (Hiccup)", Sonic held his head and fell back.

"Oh dear", one of the knights said as the group caught him. The prince let out another hiccup and fell asleep. "Red wine", the same knight spoke. "I can smell it from his breath."

"Hopefully we won't get in trouble for this", a younger knight said nervously.

With that said, the knights carried the drunken prince back into the castle. Amy hoped that Sonic won't remember what happened tonight. If he did, then things would get out of hand. While no one else was around, Amy took the ring out of her mouth and wiped the saliva off of it. She stared at it with joy and a bit of uneasiness. Of course, she would cherish it with her life, but if her father or anyone else saw it, then she would have to get rid of it and may be forbidden to see Shadow again. Hopefully, nothing like that would happen.

"Sister!" Lily called out for her.

"Uh-oh", Amy said and quickly hid the ring back in her mouth. She looked back and saw Lily and her mother standing at the garden's entrance. "What is it?" she asked.

"We are leaving now, Amy", her mother replied. "All I can say is that your father and Aleena have gotten a bit carried away with the red wine."

"_So Sonic wasn't the only one?"_ Amy thought oddly. _"Well, at least his mother won't have to know what happened earlier."_

So far, tonight was not that bad. Sure Amy did have to deal with Sonic for a little bit, but she was able to spend her time with Shadow. Plus, she was glad to leave the kingdom, since there was nothing else to do there. What surprised her was that through the carriage ride, her father was drunk and continuously said ridiculous things to everyone. As soon as they made it home, Melissa helped her husband to bed, Lily went to her room, and Amy rushed to her room and made sure that the door was locked and everything was clear.

Once again, she took her ring out of her mouth, wiped the saliva off and puts it back on. Through her trip back home, she didn't talk to anyone but only nodded or shook her head when her mother asked a few questions. Nonetheless, no one was suspicious. The princess walked out the balcony and found Shadow leaning back against a wall with his arms crossed, looking like he was asleep. Carefully, she shook him a little until he woke up.

"Have you been sleeping here?" Amy asked.

"Only for a little while", Shadow replied as he turned to her. "Did anything happen after I left?"

"Well…Sonic did try to tell his guards that you fought him, but I stood up for you and lied to them saying that he was just fooling around in the fountain."

"Did they believe you?"

"I…I really hope so. Besides, they figured out that Sonic was drinking too much wine. What's better is that his mother had a lot of wine as so did my father. So it's not a problem now."

"I see."

Amy chuckled nervously as she rubbed the back of her head. Shadow could tell that she has never lied before and wondered if she did a good job. Regardless, the two were together again at the same spot. Calmly, Shadow came up to Amy and pulled her close to his body. Amy gasped as that happened.

"Shadow?" she blushed.

"Now, where were we?" the black hedgehog caressed her left cheek.

At that moment, Amy remembered where they left off before they were interrupted. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and waited for her kiss. On the other hand, Shadow wrapped an arm around her waist and kept his left hand on her cheek. He leaned slowly and placed his lips upon hers. Amy opened one eye and realized that this moment was happening. Her first kiss. She closed her eye and stood on her tepee toes whilst pressing her lips deeper upon Shadow. He responded by deepening the kiss, not wanting to let her go.

Sometime later (God knows for how long), the two departed and stared at each other. Even though they only shared one kiss, it felt like it would last forever. They would cherish this moment for as long as they live. Nothing can compete with the affection they have for each other, not even Sonic could make Amy this special.

"That was…" the princess spoke.

"…wonderful?" Shadow smiled a little.

"Definitely", Amy nodded. "Shall we do it again?"

"Of course", the male hedgehog said in a whisper and then pulled her into another kiss. This time, he felt Amy's arms wrapped around his neck as his were around her waist still. Gently, he titled his beloved's head to deepen the angle of the kiss. Moments later, they released one another and panted softly.

"That was great", Amy smiled. "We should do it again next time."

"Agreed", Shadow replied. "I'm afraid I cannot stay long. You had a long day and I need you to get some rest", he took one of her hands with kindness.

"I understand", the princess looked at him romantically. "Will you give me a kiss goodnight before you take off?"

The black and red hedgehog answered her question by carrying her in bridal style. Amy giggled as she wrapped her arms around him and snuggled against his chest. Taking his time, Shadow reached to Amy's bed and placed her on it and tucked her in. After that, he kissed her lips tenderly, admiring her taste once again. Before long, he departed his lips from hers.

"Sweet dreams, my love", he said. He took another rose from his front pocket and placed it in the vase. After that he made his way out.

"Goodnight, Shadow", Amy smiled as her eyes closed slowly.

Shadow looked back at the princess and noticed that she has fallen asleep. To be honest, he thought she looked beautiful when she sleeps. Quietly, he walks out of her room, closes the curtains, and jumps to the roof. Then afterwards, he takes off once again to make his exit. While he was dashing through the garden, a small smile came up on his face.

"Yes", he said confidently.

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OMG, so sorry that I haven't updated in a long time. Homework was not the only problem, I was busy all week with cleaning the house and I had a birthday party on Saturday night. However, my birthday's on the 14th of this month, and I'm turning 18! W00t! Anyway, R&R, and take care! And let me ask you guys a question, is the weather getting cold where you live? Because it's like 30 degrees where I live. Not kidding!


	11. The Worse is Near

Phew, what a week I had! Not only my bday went by on the 14th, I went to my little sister's bday on Friday night and I went to my school's homecoming on Saturday night (or you can say last night). And human anatomy homework is a stress. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!

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Sometime later, Shadow was walking through the woods in order to find a path to the village. He would've continued running with his incredible speed, but he felt like getting some fresh air on the way back. All he could hear around him was the wind, the crickets and his own footsteps. However, he didn't know that three bandits were watching him beyond the dark trees. One of them was a red hedgehog, the other was a raccoon, and the last one was a tall wolf. Carefully, the red hedgehog grabbed his bow off of his back and aimed the arrow at Shadow's head. With enough concentration, he released his arrow. Due to Shadow's strong sense of hearing, he dodged the arrow and looked back.

"Missed!" the red hedgehog hissed.

"Oh, well", a raccoon rolled his eyes. "It's no use hiding anymore anyway."

"Right, let's get him", a wolf said readily. He was the first one to jump down, followed by the raccoon and the hedgehog.

"_Great",_ Shadow thought with annoyance. _"Why now?"_

"It's been a long time, Prince Shadow", the red hedgehog crossed his arms with a smirk. "Or should I say 'Prince Traitor'."

"What do you want?" the black and red hedgehog spoke impatiently.

"You know why we're here", the wolf pulled out his axe.

"We've come to kill you", the raccoon got his sword ready.

"_I should've seen this coming",_ Shadow thought as he narrowed his eyebrows.

The wolf jumped in the air and aimed his axe at the black hedgehog. As quick as he could, Shadow dodged his attack by doing a few back flips. The wolf swung his axe repeatedly as Shadow dodged his attacks. He ducked down from another swing and elbowed him in the gut by force. As the wolf grunted in pain, Shadow did an uppercut and then did a 50 punch combo. He then punched the wolf back strongly, sending him back to the other two bandits.

"Vein!" the red hedgehog gasped.

"Don't worry, Seth", the raccoon said with confidence. "I got him."

Shadow pulled out his battle knife and prepared for another fight. The raccoon charged at him as he aimed the sword at his stomach. He was able to move to the side, but he received a large cut on his left arm. The raccoon swung his sword at him but it was stopped by the hedgehog's knife. Everytime he tried to stab him, he would miss because of his lack of speed. Suddenly, his sword was stopped by Shadow's knife. Before he could've reacted, he received a huge punch in the gut. He did cough out some blood, but then received another punch in the jaw and was forcefully sent back into a tree.

"Don!" Seth called out for him. "Oh, that does it", he pulled out another arrow and aimed it at Shadow. He released the arrow, but the hedgehog disappeared, making him miss again. "Where'd he-?" At that moment, he was grabbed by the neck and slammed against the tree.

"I may have said it once, but I'll say it again. I am NOT going back", the dark hedgehog said fiercely.

"But…the king…" Seth tried to speak.

"I don't give a damn about what the king says!" Shadow raised his voice a little.

"But Shadow…Ugh, he's…your father", the red hedgehog replied barely. "Do you have any idea who you're going against?"

"I don't care. Now tell me, why did he send you all out here this time? Just to have me dead?"

"We were told to find you…in order to give you his orders."

"What orders? Why would he give me orders if I'm not going to follow them?"

"Just listen to me, please", Seth coughed for some air. "I need to breath." Silence was built around them as he looked at Shadow with fear. Slowly, he was released and he slid on the ground. He started gasping for air as he clutched his throat.

"I'm all ears", Shadow crossed his arms.

"Your father-I mean, the king says that he will let you go in peace if you do one simple task", Seth began to explain to him.

"What kind of task?"

"He wants you to kill every single person in Emerald Kingdom, same with the village."

"How does he know where I am?"

"I think someone fought you some time ago and reported to the king."

The ex-prince pondered to himself. True he has fought other bandits in the past, but none of them ever told the king about his location, usually because he threatened them not to do so. Although, the last bandit he fought before these three was Scourge. So he must've told the king everything after their battle. And because of that, Shadow's father wants him to kill the people of Emerald Kingdom. That also included Amy. He wasn't a murderer, but only a fighter, and now, a lover. But what could happen if he doesn't do what he is told to? He didn't care what happened to him, he was only worried about Amy. The last thing he wanted to do was to put her in danger because of him. Whether he has to face his father or not, he was going to protect her, even if it costs his life.

"And what if I don't do what he says?" the ex-prince asked the bandit suspiciously.

"Then you would have to face dire consequences", Seth answered. "However, there is more to it. The king has finally arranged his army and he could strike anytime soon. So I would watch your back if I were you."

By the sound of his voice, he was actually telling the truth. If the king decided to start a war now, who knows what could happen. Would Shadow have to face his father again? More importantly, how would he be able to protect Amy? Things are about to get worse, just when everything was going so well.

"Very well", Shadow spoke again.

"Huh? You're going to do it?" Seth asked.

"…We'll see, but on one condition. I don't want him or his army to come near here. The last thing I don't want to see his ugly face. Got it?" the ex-prince made his point.

"Uh, uh, sure", Seth nodded.

"Good. Now leave", Shadow commanded.

"Uh, uh, yes, your majesty-I mean, Shadow", Seth quickly got up and went to his comrades.

"Ugh, what happened?" Don woke up.

"Dammit, where is he?" Vein sat up and looked around.

"We're done here", Seth came up to them. "Let's go."

"But…" Don looked pass Seth and noticed that Shadow was still alive. "He's still alive-"

"Let's go!" Seth raised his voice.

Understanding him, Vein and Don stood up with ease because of the pain they've received from their battles. Seth was the first one to take off and they followed. Once they were out of sight, Shadow sighed as he walked to a tree. He pressed his back against it and sat down on the ground. Something bad was going to happen, and he could feel it. If he told Amy about an upcoming war, he would probably have to tell her everything. He didn't want this to happen, not so soon. This was starting to get on his nerves. Wherever he goes, his father wants to follow. And now, he was told to kill in order to have his own peace. In fact, he didn't give an exact answer to Seth. Who knows, he and the others would probably report to the king and things could get serious. What was Shadow going to do?

"Damn you", he whispered to himself angrily. "Damn you for putting me through hell back then and now. I don't care what punishment you have for me, but you'll never harm Amy when I'm around. I swear it." He took off his mask and looked at it in silence. _"I suppose I can't hide forever,"_ he thought to himself. _"After all, I did use this mask to secrete my identity from everyone. Still, that plan didn't last very long. Now he knows where I'm hiding."_

The wind began to blow softly as the clouds concealed the moon. A leaf broke off from a branch and landed on Shadow's mask. He brushed it off and looked at his mask again. It was given to him long ago by a close friend who gave him a place to stay for some time. Although, he never told him why he was traveling alone. In fact, he never told Amy about himself. He couldn't take the hiding and the lying anymore. When the time was right, he would tell Amy everything.

"_I should tell her, but what would she say?"_ he questioned in thought. _"Would she still love me? And if I tell her what lies ahead, how will she explain things to her father? I don't want her to get hurt, but…I don't want her to see me as a threat or a liar. I just hope we can get through this",_ he squeezed his mask a little.

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And that's the end! Uh-oh, suspense, peoples! What will happen next time? Will Shadow tell Amy who he really is? And what if his father finds out about their relationship? I don't know about this, but I'm getting anxious! R&R please thankies! Oh, and no flames, please.


	12. Sister Rivalry

Ok, guys, here's a new chapter! Nothing much to say, except I FREAKING HATE TESTS! Seriously, too many tests are bad for my brain!!! Ahem, anyway, do please enjoy this chapter. Remember, I don't own the characters except my made up ones.

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The next afternoon, Ms. Acorn was leading Amy and Lily out of the royal garden to an area with a large lake, fruit trees, and flowers. Surprisingly, the king allowed Ms. Acorn to take his daughters outside of the castle for today's lesson. Amy and Lily were wearing long gardening dresses and flat shoes as they had their hair typed up into ponytails. They also held two large woven baskets on their arms.

"Alright, you two", Ms. Acorn spoke unkindly as they stopped. "Today, you are going to learn how to pick some fruit for yourselves. I know you two are princesses and all, but it is time for you two to learn how to do things on your own."

"How long are we going to be out here?" Lily dared to ask.

"Considering that both of you have two large baskets, you're going have to fill them up. Also, you have to make sure that they're ripe and don't have any bugs on them."

"What about you?" Amy asked suspiciously.

"I'll be picking some too", the mean teacher replied. "But both of you will have more to carry. So I would get started if I were you", she turned to her right and walked away from her students.

"…So…How are we going to get up there?" the youngest princess looked up at a tall apple tree.

"Maybe I can give you a lift", Amy suggested. "That way we can get the job done faster."

"Sounds good to me", Lily agreed.

The duo walked to the tree and tried to figure out its height. Amy threw down her baskets and signaled her sister to climb on her back. Lily placed the baskets down and warily got on her sister's back. With some amount of strength, Amy stood on her tepee toes as Lily placed her knees on top of Amy's shoulders. After that, the eldest took hold of her sister's ankles as she stood under an apple with ease. Lily took her time by reaching for the apple until she grabbed the bottom of it off the branch.

"I got it!" she said with accomplishment.

"Good", Amy struggled to stand still. "We might as well continue."

For the past two hours, they performed excellent teamwork by collecting lots of apples, cherries, strawberries, and pears. Successfully, they were able to fill up their baskets. Amy tried to pick up one of them, but her arm couldn't hold it up high. She sighed as she placed it back on the ground. She or Lily never thought that fruit baskets could be so heavy. Then again, this was their first time doing some work outside of the castle.

"I have a feeling that our arms will be exhausted when we return home", Amy said as she rubbed her right arm.

"We have a problem", Lily looked around. "Ms. Acorn is not in sight."

"Hmm…" the eldest sister sat on the grass and relaxed on her back. "As long as we don't have to deal with her, that's all that matters." Lily sat next to her.

"I have a few questions to ask."

"What is it?"

"Are still seeing Shadow?"

"Of course. Nothing can give me a good night sleep like being with him", Amy sighed dreamily.

"Well, if it's not too much trouble, is it ok if I meet him?" Lily asked with uneasiness.

"What?!" Amy sat up in shock. "Tonight?"

"Please, just this once?" her little sister clasped her hands together. "I would like to meet the one who makes my sister happy. Who knows, I can probably take a good look at him to see if he's the right one for you."

"I'm not sure…I don't think that's a good idea."

"I promise I won't tell. I'll wait until our parents are asleep, then go wait in your room, say hi to him, and then I'll go back to my room. I promise", Lily begged.

"Fine, fine", Amy shrugged. "But before I introduce him to you, you have to help me make some food for him."

"Wait…You're going to cook?" the youngest raised an eyebrow. "As long as I can remember, you were never a good cook."

"Not like that", Amy chuckled. "I mean, I want to share some of the fruit we've picked together. Along with some other food that doesn't require too much work."

"If you say so. Then I'll do it", Lily vowed.

"Good. Now then…" The pink hedgehog got up and picked up her heavy baskets. One of them had apples while the other one had strawberries in it. "Let us head back home, shall we?" she struggled to hold them up.

"Oh, dear…" Lily slapped her forehead.

Because the two had to make sure they wouldn't drop their baskets, they walked home at a very slow pace. Once they reached to the royal garden, Ms. Acorn was waiting for them as she had her arms crossed whilst tapping on her left foot. She told them that they had to be quick next time and not to have her worried about them. That never made sense to the princesses. First of all, Ms. Acorn had to carry a small basket of plums without feeling tired. And second of all, she was the one that disappeared when they were looking for her! Instead of arguing with her, Amy and Lily decided to ignore her and walked around her and head inside their castle. Yes, they might have to face some punishment, but that didn't matter to them. All they could think about was what will happen tonight.

At nine o'clock, the mother said goodnight to her daughters and made her way to her bedroom. Lily waited for a few minutes before she made her way to her sister's room. She tip toed down the hall and reached to the last door on the left. Making sure that she doesn't wake her parents up, she knocked on it with patience.

"Amy, it's me", she said but made sure to keep her voice down. Her sister opened the door and let her in.

"You know we have to wait for a long time, do you?" Amy reminded her as she closed the door.

"I don't mind", Lily said with her arms behind her back. "Besides, we'll be able to stay awake by making Shadow's meal and perhaps reading some books."

"True", Amy nodded. "Although…I see that you're wearing your new gown. Can you tell me why?"

"Oh, this?" Lily looked down at her long light blue gown. "Well, I, uh…I thought I should be presentable when I meet him", she smiled.

"Sure…" Amy murmured to herself.

Later on, it was 11:30. The two stayed awake by counting stars, reading some books, and by fixing each other's hair. Right now, Amy had her hair down while Lily wore hers in a bun style. Remembering the main deal, Amy found a candle and lit it up. She lit Lily a candle and they walked out of the room. With Amy leading the way, she looked around to make sure that no one could hear their footsteps. She stopped at her parents' bedroom door and placed an ear on it. Good thing her father snores loud. Moving quickly yet quietly, the princesses made their way downstairs and then reached to the kitchen. Their fruit baskets were on the counter right next to a few loaves of bread and a few containers of spices.

"That's all we're going to give him is some loaf of bread and fruit?" Lily whispered.

"And milk", Amy added. "Let's hurry and get things ready."

As Lily picked out the fruits and sliced a large piece of bread, Amy took the time to make some warm milk. Their tasks seemed a bit difficult, because they didn't have a lot of light. They also had to make sure that they didn't drop anything breakable. Nosily, the kettle whistled some steam and Amy grabbed a pot holder to take it off of the kitchen stove. Lily was gathering three plates and teacups for their evening get-together. Once she was done placing the food on the plates, she held up each cup for Amy to pour the milk in. In order to carry everything upstairs, they searched for a large salver. Luckily for Amy, she found a large oval-shaped salver and placed everything on it.

"Take the candles and lead the way", she whispered.

"Sure", the little one found a candelabrum on a table and placed the two candles in the brasses. She led her sister back upstairs but remembered to keep her footsteps quiet.

"Lily, stop", Amy whispered as she halted in front of a door.

"Huh?" Lily followed her command as she looked back. "In there?"

"I think the study room has plenty of space", Amy replied.

Without arguing, Lily slowly opened the door and walked inside. She placed the candelabrum on a round table in the middle of the room and signaled her sister to come in. Trying to ignore the pain in her muscles, Amy tip toed to the table and placed the salver on it.

"Phew", she sighed in exhaustion. "I've never thought all of this preparation could take so much work."

"Now I know how our servants feel", Lily scratched her head.

"Hmm…I think we have everything done here", Amy stood up. "Let's go back to my room", she took hold of the candelabrum lightly and then walked out.

"Very well", Lily yawned as she followed her.

Both of them returned to their hiding area and closed the door. They looked at the clock above Amy's vase and it read 11:57. Only three minutes left. Of course, they couldn't wait to see Shadow. After all of their hard work, they sure hoped that he'll appear and appreciate what they did for him. Instead of watching the clock, Lily sat on the bed and Amy started pacing back and forth. Everytime they looked at the clock, time seemed to be inactive. Netherless, they kept on waiting. At the stroke of midnight, Amy stopped pacing as Lily turned to the side of the bed. A sudden thud was heard, causing them to gasp.

"I'll introduce you to him", Amy whispered and then ran out to the balcony. As always, Shadow was there. "You're here", she wrapped her arms around him a bit tightly.

"Of course", Shadow choked a little. "I'll always be here when you need me."

"Oh, I've missed you so much", the pink hedgehog squeezed him a little tighter.

"Amy…Can't…breathe…" the dark hedgehog sort of spoke as his cheeks turned blue.

"Oh, I am so sorry", Amy released him worriedly, giving him time to catch his breath.

"It's alright", the black hedgehog said uncomplainingly. "I'm not mad", he looked at her. She had her eyes closed and her lips were waiting for his. He pulled her close and began to kiss her as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"_Yuck. What are they doing?" _Lily thought in disgust. "Ahem!" she cleared her throat as loud as she could.

"Lily!" Amy pulled away and looked back at her sister. "Very rude", she said with annoyance.

"Who is that?" Shadow noticed the younger version of Amy in the bedroom.

"Oh. She's my little sister", Amy replied. "Come here", she waved for her sister.

"Um…" her little sister mumbled nervously as she got off the bed and walked to them. She looked up at Shadow and widened her eyes.

"Lily, this is Shadow. Shadow, meet Lily", Amy introduced them to each other.

"Nice to meet you", the black and red hedgehog said with kindness.

"…He is so...HANDSOME!" Lily exclaimed enthusiastically as she hugged him around his waist.

"Grr!" Amy growled.

"Hm. She almost looks like you", the male hedgehog looked down at Lily.

"Hm, I suppose", Amy glanced at her sister with jealousy. "Anyway, come with me right quick."

"We made you something to eat", Lily looked up at her sister's lover with a smile.

"You did?" Shadow said with curiosity.

"Sure, follow me", Amy took one of his hands.

"No, I want to lead him", Lily took his other hand.

"It was my idea."

"I don't care. I like him."

"Lily, no. He's mine!"

"I don't think so", the youngest said and stuck her tongue out.

"GRRRR!!!" Amy grounded her teeth.

"Its fine", Shadow shrugged his shoulders. "I don't mind if you two led me there."

"Fine", the two sisters gave each other a death glare.

Through the entire hour, the trio sat in the study room and ate their food. Not only that, Amy and Lily kept trying to pull Shadow away from one another. They had to stop because they felt like they were about to pull his arms off. Finally, Lily grew tired and fell asleep on Shadow's right shoulder. At least Amy didn't have to deal with her until tomorrow.

"Sorry if she annoyed you", she apologized with embarrassment.

"She was no trouble", the black hedgehog watched her sleep. "It must be nice to have a sibling. I'm an only child."

"Oh, I see", Amy yawned a little, trying not to close her eyes.

"I can tell that you are tired as well", Shadow noticed.

"It's just…We had to prepare everything for you and well…she was starting to become a pain. But I really hoped you enjoyed our hospitality."

"I did."

"Hmm, maybe we should put Lily to bed", Amy glanced over at her sister.

"I'll carry her while you lead the way", Shadow offered.

"Sure, but let's keep quiet", the princess grabbed the candelabrum and walked to the door. Her lover carried her younger sister carefully as she led him to Lily's bedroom. She watched him tuck Lily in and pulled the cover over her. "Thanks."

"No problem", the dark hedgehog whispered. "You should get some sleep too", he turned to Amy.

"Really?" the pink hedgehog whined. "But I wanted to spend some time with you."

"Hmm…" Shadow pondered for a little. "Come with me right quick", he took her hand and led her all the way back to her balcony.

"Hold on", Amy said and placed the candelabrum on her night stand. "So what is it?"

"Hold on to me tight", Shadow pulled her close to his body. Nervously, Amy wrapped her arms around his neck. After that, he carried her in bridal style and jumped up to the roof.

"Oh, god, don't drop me!" the princess clutched onto him with fright.

"I won't drop you, I promise", the male hedgehog scarcely spoke. "I was hoping that we could…sit on the roof for a little bit."

"Really?" Amy looked up at him. He nodded as he sat down on the roof gently. She decided to remain on his lap but loosen her grip a little. "Wow…" she looked up at the night sky. "It's beautiful up here", she rested her head on her hero's chest.

Shadow looked down at her as he continued to hold her by the waist. She was too busy looking up at the stars. Something bothered him inside. Did she really love him for who he was? Or was she only in love with him because he saved her life? And would they be able to be together forever? Better yet, would Amy still love him if he told her his true identity? He looked up at the sky, wondering what he should do. Of course, he loved Amy, but he didn't want to hide any more secrets. But he did have thoughts on what she might say or do.

"_I have to tell her",_ Shadow thought to himself. "Amy-?" he looked down and noticed that she was sleeping. _"I guess now's not the right time."_ Watchfully, he stood up and jumped back down on the balcony without dropping his beloved. To his surprise, she didn't wake up from the sudden movement. Although, she looked like an angel as she slept. _"I do love her, but I don't want to break her heart",_ he thought with concern. _"Perhaps I should figure out a way to tell her tomorrow night…"_

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I'm finally done! Phew, my arms are tired! I need a massage. Anyway, I took so long with this chapter. I've been having a lot of tests lately, so I had to study. Grr! Ok, guys, hope you've enjoyed this chapter. R&R! Thank you! And watch out Amy! Looks like you got some competition! XD


	13. The Dark Kingdom

Hello again! Yes, I'm back with another chapter! And this time, you didn't have to wait very long. =) In this chapter, we get to see some suspense! Ooh, me likey! If the chapter's too short, I apologize. I'm doing the best I can, you know…

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Darkness…

That's what an anonymous castle was filled with…darkness. Thunder roared beyond the black sky as the lightning flashed with fury. There were demon-like creatures wondering around the tall, evil structure in order to find some food to fill their stomachs. Inside the main hall, Vein, Seth, Don, and a few other bandits were kneeling before their ruler who sat on his throne hidden by the shadows.

"Don, Seth, Vein", he spoke in his deep, evil voice. "What news do you have for me?"

"…" Vein and Don glanced over at Seth suspiciously. "Well?"

"Huh?" Seth woke up from his daydreaming.

"Hmm…I have a feeling that you're hiding something from me", the dark ruler rubbed his chin. "Am I wrong?"

"Um, um, n-no."

"If you are, then I would have to feed you to my hungry pets. So I wouldn't try to hide the truth."

"Ahem", Seth stood up fearfully. "We did find Shadow just like you told us to, but we were unsuccessful to kill him."

"Did you give him my orders?"

"He…He said 'We'll see'. I'm not sure what he meant by that."

"Hmph", the dark king tapped his finger on the arm of his throne. "I see. So it seems like he's still refusing to give in. I even gave him a chance to be free from my clutches."

"I told him that, but I have a feeling that he doesn't care about your threats."

"Is that so?"

"I can only assume your majesty."

Silence echoed the entire room as the king continued to glare at Seth. He then looked at this other servants who were still kneeling before him. His attention turned towards Scourge. For quite some time, he has been the king's eyes and ears just in case someone would probably go against him or try to escape from his kingdom. Ever since he told him about encountering Shadow at Emerald Kingdom, he has been wondering why his son was still there. True he sent out some other bandits to investigate, but Scourge knew everything.

"Scourge", the evil ruler spoke. "I am making you the head commander of my army."

"You will not be disappointed", the green hedgehog bowed.

"Wait, why him!?" Seth protested. "I've been serving you for 4 years and he's only been here for half of those years."

"Let's just say that I found him more suitable for the job", his king replied. "And besides, he has more strength than you do."

"And I don't try to hide any secrets", Scourge said with a smirk.

"Grr…!" the red hedgehog narrowed his eyebrows.

"But before we strike, I need someone to spy on Shadow and the outskirts of Emerald Kingdom. And that someone must be cautious, fearless, and quiet. Any volunteers?"

"Maybe I can help", a woman's voice spoke out of nowhere. Everyone looked up to see a white bat hanging up on the ceiling. She flew down and landed on her feet gently. "You know me, I have never been caught. I can easily blend in with the night."

"Hmm…" the king pondered for a moment. "Very well, Rouge. While you are there, I want you to examine the kingdom's defense. And while you're at it, find out what Shadow is hiding from me. It's not like him to stay at one place for a certain amount of time."

"Of course", the female bat bowed slightly.

"This meeting is now over. Be gone."

All of his servants left the hall silently as he watched. He stood up from his throne and made his way up the stairs. He listened to the aberrant thunderstorm as he made his way to his royal bedroom. When he walked inside, the lightning flashed a few times, giving him some light. There were deadly looking weapons placed on the west wall covered in dry blood. Underneath it, a chest full of treasure sat there, giving the room a bit of a glow as the lightning struck near the window. A large bed with black covers was placed against the other side of the room. Between that and the closet, a tall, wide oval-shaped mirror stood in its place. The king closed the door behind him and locked it. Ignoring the thunderstorm still, he walked to the mirror and sees his reflection. He was a black hedgehog that looked exactly like Shadow, but had green sharp eyes and gray streaks on his body. He wore a dark gray crown, a long silk black shirt and pants with matching boots, and also a long gray cape with torn edges at the bottom of it. However, the strangest thing about him was that he didn't have a mouth. Still, he would always look at the mirror in order to build up his confidence and to see what was going on in the outside world. Most of the time, he would ask the mirror if he was a true ruler, and it would always said yes.

"Mirror, Mirror on the wall…Who is the fairest of them all?" he spoke outloud. His mirror gave a little light.

"The fairest…" the magic mirror spoke. "Only now, the fairest shall have strength, bravery, and a spirit of light."

"Hmph", the king crossed his arms. "What are you implying?"

"Ye may have the power, a fearless personality, and gold, but ye are not worthy to be the fairest one."

"What?!" the dark hedgehog king narrowed his eyebrows madly. "Who is it then? Tell me!"

"Ye shall wait see when ye meet your greatest enemy. And thus, ye shall see who is the fairest of them all. And the fairest shall have your throne."

"Hmph. I beg to differ", the dark king looked away as he clenched a fist. _"Who is fairer than me? Who?! Wait, my greatest enemy…The only enemy I can think up is..."_ he thought with suspicions. "Tell me. Is it Shadow?" he gazed at the mirror again.

"…Yes", the mirror answered. "He is the fairest of them all, regardless of not wearing a crown."

"That's preposterous! How can **HE **be the fairest of all and not me!?"

"He has something that ye do not have."

"And what is that?"

"A heart. And his heart is strong, like a shield and armor in battle."

"Is that so? Well then, what if we battle each other and I rip out his heart? Will I become the fairest of them all?"

"IF ye can defeat him and bring his heart to me, then I will grant your wish as the fairest of them all…"

"Hmm-hmm-hmmm-hmmmm…" the black and gray hedgehog chuckled evilly as the thunder rumbled outside again. "Very well. Soon…his heart shall be mine…" he raised a fist with pride and wickedness. A large bolt of lightning sparked in the sky repeatedly as he let out an evil laugh.

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Le gasp! I wonder who that guy is. Well, I know you guys can figure it out, since I kind of gave some details that may seem familiar to you. And yes, I was inspired by the magic mirror in the Snow White story. But I thought I could make it more devilish-like if you know what I mean. Hooray for classic fairy tale references! And I just realized that this is the 13th chapter and there was some wickedness in it. Eek! What will happen next time? Tune in next time to find out! R&R, thank you!


	14. Unexpected Visit

Wow, I haven't updated this story in a long time! Finally, I was able to come up with some ideas for this chapter! R&R, please! And Happy late Thanksgiving!

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By the sound of birds singing, Amy woke up and rubbed her eyes. She sat up and looked around. She could see the sunlight coming in from outside, barely touching her body. A yawn escaped her lips. Of course, she didn't think that it would be morning so soon. She must've fallen asleep during Shadow's visit. To her, that was the biggest mistake that she has ever made in her life. She hoped that he wasn't mad at her. Out of nowhere, she started hearing some knocking on the door. Tiredly, she got out of her bed, fixed her hair, and went to the door. She opened it and saw Lily.

"Good morning", she yawned.

"Same to you, sister", Lily smiled a little. "Um, Father says that he wants you to come downstairs."

"Right now?"

"Yes. Now I would hurry if I were you. The last thing we need to hear this morning is some of his yelling", the younger hedgehog said and walked back to her room.

Yawning some more, Amy rubbed her eyes and took off her secret love ring. She smiled at it. Quickly, she hid it under her pillow, made up her bed, and walked out of her room. She was about to go down stairs until she heard her father talking to someone else. The other person's voice sounded familiar somehow. Silently, Amy took a peek from the corner and looked down at the main hall. She covered her gasp. Down below, her father was talking to Sonic! What made him come here? Was he going to try to win her heart again? And what is her father up to? The pink hedgehog hid herself from them as she placed her back against the wall. She could tell that this was going to be a bad day.

"_Oh, no",_ she thought uneasily. _"Not him again."_

"It does not matter what she says", her father spoke with such seriousness.

"What?" Amy whispered to herself.

"Since I am her father and that I rule this castle, she has to obey me", the king of Emerald Kingdom continued. "After all, both of you will make a cute couple."

"I always thought of that, your majesty", Sonic chuckled. "Where is she anyway?"

"That I wonder", Isaac looked up the stairs and didn't see her. "Maybe she doesn't want to get up today. But", his voice went into a whisper. "I have an idea." He told his strategy in Sonic's ear.

"_Who the hell do they think they are?"_ the angry princess clenched her fists. _"I swear those two never give up! Fine then. I guess I'll have to stay in my room. Yes, that could work. After all, Sonic doesn't seem to be the patient kind. Maybe after an hour goes by, he'll leave. I don't care if I starve; I have to do this in order to keep my heart safe from him. It just might work!"_ she thought with joy.

"Amy, what are you doing here?" her mother appeared, making her jump.

"Oh, um, nothing, Mother", Amy rubbed the back of her head.

"Your father is waiting for you downstairs. You should go down there right now", her mother reassured her.

"…Fine", Amy sighed with defeat. Taking a couple deep breaths, she made her way downstairs and met up with the two male hedgehogs.

"Ah, there you are", her father said with a small smile. "What took you so long?"

"I wasn't fully awake and I had to…fix myself", the princess came up with a little white lie.

"Well, next time, be quick", Isaac warned her. "Anyway, you remember Sonic, do you?" he took both his daughter's and Sonic's hand and placed them together.

"Yes, I do", Amy said with a nervous smile. _"Though I wish I didn't."_

"Nice to see you again, Amy", the blue hedgehog took her hand gently.

"Now, Amy", the king spoke again. "I bet you are wondering why he is here, correct?" His daughter nodded. "Well, I had a certain thought. Since you two are getting married soon, I thought it would be wise if you two could give each other a tour around your homes. And since Sonic's here, you might as well give him a tour."

"Right now?" the pink hedgehog raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, of course", her father replied. He moved his lips to her right ear. "And you better not ruin this. Otherwise, you will receive some punishment." With that said, he went up the stairs.

Amy looked back at her father with shock and fury. He has changed a lot ever since he started the whole marriage arrangement business. However, he was starting to get a bit strict about this. Amy only wished that he could understand her feelings and let her find her own true love. Unfortunately, the chances of that happening were wiry.

"So, um", Sonic spoke, snapping Amy out of her thoughts. "Where do you want to start?"

Through the entire hour, Amy showed Sonic around the castle. They went through most of the rooms except her room. She made an excuse saying that it was a terrible mess and she didn't want him to see it. Lucky for her, he understood her. She had to do it so that way he wouldn't discover the roses and the ring from her secret lover. Soon enough, they reached to the mind-blowing royal garden. Amy took a seat on the bench as Sonic sat next to her. However, she moved her eyes to a different direction so she could avoid any eye contact with him.

"This place is really beautiful", Sonic commented as he observed the area.

"Hm", Amy said, still not looking at him.

"But…it's not as beautiful as you", the prince tip toed his fingers to Amy's hand and touched it. He heard her gasp as she moved her hand away. "What's wrong?"

"Sonic, I…I can't", the pink hedgehog shook her head as she held her hand to her chest.

"Oh…It's probably about what happened during our last encounter, correct?"

"No, it's not like that."

"Then what is it?"

"I don't know how many times I have to say this. But I'm not in love with you. And I don't think I ever will be."

"And why is that?" Sonic placed a hand on her shoulder, which made her shiver. "Tell me, what do I need to do to make you fall in love with me?"

"…Nothing", Amy took his hand off of her. "It won't be worth it. I don't care if my father likes you, but that doesn't mean that the two of you can tell me what to do", she said critically. She heard Sonic chuckle to himself. "What's so funny?" she turned to him.

"Oh, Amy, listen to yourself", the blue hedgehog crossed his arms. "Who says that you were in charge? After all, the only way you can gain control of this kingdom is by marrying a prince, like me", he glanced over her with a smirk.

"Please", Amy crossed her arms and looked away. "I rather die alone than being with you."

"Pushy, aren't you?" the blue hedgehog said. "Still, you have no other choice. The fate of this land depends on you."

"Me?" the female turned to him with curiosity.

"I was told to keep this as a secret, but I might as well tell you the truth", the blue hedgehog sighed. "You see, your father and my mother made a deal that if we were to marry, then their army forces would be strong. That way both of our kingdoms could ensure protection for one another. And the villages too. But if we didn't, then neither of them would help each other in a war. Although, that didn't occur to me when I first saw you", he turned to her amorously. "To be honest, you are the most beautiful girl that I have ever seen in my life. I wouldn't dare let another man have you in his arms."

By that comment, Amy covered her gasp. The prince wasn't telling a lie. Not he was in love with her; he didn't want anyone else to have her. In her mind, she hoped that he and Shadow don't cross each other's paths again. Only God knows what could happen, and Amy couldn't bear to see the outcome of them fighting against each other. Of course, she was the pacifist type. She gulped to herself.

"So this is only for power…right?" she asked.

"That and the fact that I love you", Sonic lift her chin with his thumb. "Unless there is someone else."

"What?" the pink hedgehog backed away with shock. "N-No, you must be mistaken."

"I didn't tell your father this, but I remember the time that I fought a mysterious being when you came to my ball", Sonic pointed out. "It took me some time to realize that he might be in love with you too. But that won't last for long."

"What are you saying?"

"It's simple: marry me, and we won't have any problems. If you DO have a secret admirer, get rid of him", the prince warned her as he narrowed his eyebrows. "Because, if you don't, I wouldn't want to see your father very angry with you. And how knows, he might send his knights to kill 'him'."

"No", Amy had her fists under her chin with fear. "You can't", she shook her head.

"I can and I will. After all, a man is always in charge", Sonic stood up and stretched his arms. "So what do you say?" he turned to her.

"…" Amy bit her thumb as she looked away. _"What should I do?"_ she thought desperately. "Sonic, I…I need some time to think."

"Then think as long as you can", the male hedgehog stated. "Because, we might get married before you know it." He walked back into the castle.

And so, Amy was left by herself in the garden. Now what was she going to do? She knows that she can't stand Sonic, but she didn't want him to tell her father about her secrets. But then again, she doesn't want to break Shadow's heart. She never thought something like this could happen. Crying softly to herself, she covered her face.

Back with Sonic, he went to the library where the king was looking at the large shelves in silence. He walked to him, trying to come up with an explanation. He tapped him on the shoulder, and the king looked at him.

"How did it go?" he asked.

"She…She's still resisting", Sonic shrugged his shoulders.

"Will that girl ever learn to listen?" Isaac growled as he clenched his fists. "She has no other choice!"

"I did tell her that…but I think she's hiding something from you", Sonic said honestly.

"Like what?"

"This may sound like a strange question, but do you think that…she may be in love with someone else?"

"Like who?"

"That I do not know. But if I were you, I would keep an eye on her."

"Hmm…That I will do", Isaac rubbed his chin. "But I will have to do that secretly. Whatever she is hiding from me, it won't take me long to find it. Once that is out of the way, we can continue with our other plans."

"Sounds fair", Sonic agreed with him.

The two didn't know that Lily was listening to their conversation around the corner of the library. She covered her mouth with shock. She had to tell Amy, but she had to do it without them knowing it. In order to keep herself from getting caught, she tip toed to her bedroom.

* * *

Uh-oh, more suspense! Such jerks! Sorry I took so long to update, but I was busy with homework (of course), sort of didn't have any new ideas, and I started on a new fanfic not too long ago. It's called 'How to be a Parent'. It's a really funny ShadAmy story, so check it out. What will happen next time? R&R please, thanks!


	15. Amy's Letter

At long last, a new chapter! I'm going to update now, because I got semester finals to study, and I hate studying! Hopefully, those exams are easy so I can get them over with and get on with my life. Who else hates final exams? Stupid question, I think everyone does! Ok, um, I'll stop ranting now. If this chapter is too short, many, MANY apologies. I'm trying to come up with new ideas, but everything's getting in the way…

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Tears continued to fall out of Amy's eyes as she sobbed to herself. Life was so unfair to her. She felt like she couldn't do anything for her own benefits. All of this…it was too much for her. She couldn't take it. Why wouldn't her father let her choose her eternal love? And why does Sonic have to be a nuisance? The poor princess didn't know what to do.

"Sister!" Lily's voice called out.

"Hmm?" Amy looked to her left as she wiped her eyes. "Lily?"

"I have…something…to tell you", her younger sister panted. "It's about Father and Sonic."

"If that's the case, then let's talk about it somewhere in private", Amy suggested as she stood up. "Where should we go?"

"By the lake."

"Let's go."

After making sure that no one was watching them, the two walked through the garden and reached to the lake area. They sat under an apple tree, so they can be shaded from the sunlight.

"What is it?" Amy asked.

"Well…I was walking around the castle, but then, I heard Father and Sonic talking in the library. "

"What did they say?"

**

* * *

**

Flashback:

"_Will that girl ever learn to listen? She has no other choice!"_

"_I did tell her that…but I think she's hiding something from you."_

"_Like what?"_

"_This may sound like a strange question, but do you think that…she may be in love with someone else?"_

"_Like who?"_

"_That I do not know. But if I were you, I would keep an eye on her."_

"_Hmm…That I will do. But I will have to do that secretly. Whatever she is hiding from me, it won't take me long to find it. Once that is out of the way, we can continue with our other plans."_

"_Sounds fair."_

**(End of flashback.)**

* * *

"What!?" Amy stood up.

"That was all I heard", Lily nodded. "So what are you going to do?"

"I'm…I'm not sure", Amy looked away. "I can't go against them, considering that they have more power than I do. But…I can't take this any longer."

"Then run away."

"What?" the eldest princess looked at her sister with shock.

"I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but that's all I can come up with. If you run away, you can be with Shadow for the rest of your life. And you don't have to worry about all of this."

"But what if they start a search party?"

"Um…I do not know."

"Still, I don't want to leave you behind."

"I'll be fine on my own", Lily said courageously. "Besides, I have to stay and take care of Mother."

"What? What is wrong with her?" Amy got on her knees with worry.

"Oh…I shouldn't tell you this, but Mother's ill."

"How long as she been ill?"

"Even since this whole mess started."

"No", Amy whispered as she looked down at the ground. _"Dammit",_ she thought with anger and grief. _"Everything's my fault." _

"Still, her illness isn't very bad. So she should be feeling alright soon."

"But…I should stay."

"And let them ruin your life?"

The wind blew softly as Amy looked away. She was surprised at her younger sister's words. One side was telling her to stay and take care of her mom. The other side is telling her to leave and go on with her life. There were plenty of down sides to those choices. If she stayed, then she would have to marry Sonic. And if she left, then her sister and her mother would be alone with her cruel father. It was also possible that Lily would be interrogated until she told the truth so that way a search party could be made. Only one choice can change Amy's life forever.

"I need to go to my room", she stood up and made her way back.

"Oh, uh, wait for me", Lily got up and followed her.

Up in the tree, a bat-like figure sat on a branch, listening to the princesses' conversation. She watched the two walk back to the castle. A small smirk went across her face.

Once Amy made it to her room, she closed the door and placed her back against it. Many things were going through her mind. From the beginning of the marriage ordeal, her father seemed different. He was more considerate and understanding. Now, he was a careless bastard. Why was he so angry with his daughter? Was it because he was stressed? And what is it that he likes Sonic so much? This was very confusing for Amy. She had no idea what to do. For the past five minutes, she paced around the room as she continued to fiddle with her hair and fingers. Then an idea came to her mind. If she couldn't express her feelings to her belligerent father in person, she might as well write him a letter. At that moment, she found a pen and a piece of paper and sat on her bed. She placed the paper on her nightstand and began to write:

_**Dear Father,**_

_**I cannot take this any longer. Every day has been like a struggle for me. You never listen to me, and you never bother to ask about how I feel. When I look at you, I see a heartless man that only focuses on his wants and needs. How do you think that Mother and Lily feel about all of this? All I can remember a long time ago was that you were very kind to me, and you always had a smile on your face. You've changed so much. Why? Is it all because of me? Or is it the fact that I do not like Sonic like you do? I am sorry that I do not agree with you, but all of this is going to tear our family apart. I do not love him and I never will. But if you can't accept my feelings, then I will lose my respect to you. I am your oldest daughter, and you shouldn't treat me this way. And I can tell that once Lily goes through this, she will feel the same way. There are times that I wonder if you actually have a heart. Although, it doesn't matter to me now. I don't care what you or Sonic say. You are not going to control my life. Now that you've read this letter, I hope you can look into your soul and realize what you have done. But if nothing changes you or Sonic, then I hope you two will rot in Hell.**_

_**Sincerely, **_

_**Amy**_

Right on time, her pen ran out of ink. She lay back on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. Hopefully, her father will understand her after he reads her letter. Still, it's a possibility that he'll get mad at her. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to give him the letter. Of course, she was a bit afraid of her father. Aside from all of that, she had something else in her mind...

"_Should I stay, or should I go?"_ Amy thought. _"Remain here or go on my own?"_

* * *

Finally, I'm done. Well, what should Amy do? And will her father read her letter? What else could happen? Find out next time…when my semester finals are over. Blah…


	16. Leaving Home

Hell yeah! I'm back with another lovely chapter for this lovely story! Screw you final exams! You can't take me down now! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Ahem, sorry about that. It's just that, I had to study so much, it's ridiculous. Alright, here's the next chappie. Remember, I don't own the original characters, just my made up ones.

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That night, her decision was made…

Amy was brushing her hair as she looked at the mirror. She was wearing her long nightgown of course, but she had on a long brown cloak on top of it. Once she got done brushing her hair, she puts on a white headband and let a few bangs hang to the side. She looked at the clock behind her which read 11:50. A sigh escaped her lips. This was going to be her last night in her home. True she feels sad about this, but she had to do this from the bottom of her heart. As soon as she gathered her thoughts, she puts on a pair of white slippers and tip toes out of her room.

Inside a different room, Lily was sleeping peacefully as she breathed in and out through her mouth. By feeling someone shaking her shoulder, she sat up and yawned. Right next to her was her older sister. She rubbed her eyes.

"Amy?"

"Lily", the eldest spoke. "It's…It's time for me to go."

"Oh", Lily said a bit sadly. "You're really leaving?"

"…Yes. I could take you with me, but I do not wish to bring you into trouble. Rest assured, I won't forget you."

"And I won't forget you."

"Lily", Amy hugged her. "Take care of mother for me."

"I'll do my best", her younger sister hugged her back. "Good luck."

Seconds later, Amy released Lily and went back to her room quietly. She looked at the ring that Shadow gave her nights ago. On her bed stand laid the ocarina and the rose filled vase. However, a couple of roses looked like they were about to wither away, as if they were feeling her emotions. She sighed as she wrapped her arms around her waist. She hoped she was doing the right thing…

Meanwhile, Shadow was on his way to his love by jumping from tree to tree. When he reached to the garden area, he hid himself in the tree branches. Down below, there were a few more guards than ever before. Something was not right. Does Amy's father know about him? If that was the case, then he had to be careful. He looked around for a safe short cut. His ears suddenly twitched as he heard a soft melody. He knew that it was Amy playing the ocarina. By the time the melody stopped, the guards yawned and fell asleep as they stood still. Now it was Shadow's chance. He carefully ran on a long tree branch and jumped forward for a small balcony in front of him. With great ease, he landed. After that he jumped up to the roof. However, he didn't know that he woke the king up. Luckily, he went back to sleep.

The pink hedgehog sighed again as she lowered the ocarina. She hoped that her beloved was on his way so he could take her away from her so called 'home'. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a thud. She looked to her left and saw Shadow.

"You're here", she smiled.

"As always", Shadow came up to her and pulled her in a hug. He looked down and noticed her cloak. "Why are you wearing that?"

"Shadow", the princess looked up to him. "Take me with you. Please."

"What?" the black hedgehog couldn't believe her words.

"Please, Shadow, I beg of you. I cannot stay any longer. If I do, then I would have to marry Prince Sonic. After that, we won't see each other again."

"What about your family?"

"I know I do not want to leave Lily behind, but I do not want to put her in danger. Plus, she has to stay here for mother's sake. And before you ask, no. I do not care about my father. He's the reason why I do not have any happiness."

"Amy…" the male hedgehog said softly. _"She's going through the same pain that I felt in the past",_ he thought to himself. _"I never thought that we would have so much in common."_

"Are you sure?"

"Yes", Amy nodded.

"Very well", Shadow caressed her cheek. "But we cannot come back."

"I do not want to come back."

Those words…Was Amy really going to leave her home behind? After all, she has everything she wanted. Clothes, food, better yet, money. Although that didn't seem to matter to her now. All she wanted was love and freedom. Shadow could understand her feelings. With no other questions, he carried Amy in bridal style and jumped up to the roof. He looked down at her, making sure that she was hanging on tight. She nodded. After that, he made his way across the roof and jumped down to the king's balcony. Amy looked back, hoping that he wasn't awake. Silently, the dark hedgehog looked down at the guards. They were back up as they marched their way around the area.

"Damn", the male whispered.

"What are we going to do?" Amy asked worriedly.

Thinking to himself, Shadow looked at the nearby tree and the guards. There had to be a way to escape without them knowing it. But then, Shadow had an idea. He sat Amy down and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a gold coin and threw it to the side as hard as he could. The coin landed on the ground.

"What was that?" one of the guards asked.

"Let's go see", another guard suggested and they all went to see what the noise was.

"Now's our chance", Shadow carried Amy again and leaped to the tree branch. He jumped down a couple more and reached to the ground. Hurriedly, he took off with his speed.

"Hm?" one of the knights looked back. He only saw a few leaves falling to the ground. "Maybe it was just the wind", he shrugged his shoulders.

* * *

And there you go. Did Amy make the right decision? What will be next for her and Shadow? We shall find out next time. Oh, and since its Christmas Eve, this is your early Christmas present. Don't you just love it? R&R please! Thank you! MERRY CHRISTMAS! (Or Happily Holidays)


	17. This is who I am

I have returned! And I can't believe that my winter break is almost over… = ( Anyway, this chappie could be long, but hey, you guys like it like that. Hope you enjoy! And I don't own the characters! Except my fan made ones.

* * *

Time went by as Shadow continued to make his way through the forest whilst holding Amy close to him. His right ear twitched as he could've sworn he heard a twig being snapped. He skidded to a halt. The female hedgehog looked at him with curiosity.

"What's wrong, Shadow?"

"I thought I heard something", the male looked over his shoulder.

"Do you think someone is following us?" Amy looked around as well.

The two stayed silent and listened for anything suspicious. All they could hear was the wind brushing the leaves off the trees. There were no signs of Amy's guards or any villagers wondering around. Instead of wasting more time, Shadow continued dashing through the path.

"Hmm…Well, well, well…" Rouge said as she stood behind a tree. She opened her wings and took off to the sky.

A little while later, the two hedgehogs exited the forest and reached to a large spring. Up ahead was a trail of rocks and a few trees that stood beyond the land. On the left side was a waterfall with vines stuck within the stoned walls. The water sparkled by the moon's light and the yellow fireflies. This area seemed beautiful to Amy.

"Let's rest here."

"Hm?" Shadow looks down at her.

"It is beautiful here after all", Amy smiled.

Even though they were possibly a couple hours area from the village, that didn't mean that they shouldn't stop to take a break. After all, Amy wanted to spend more time with her hero. The two took a seat on the ground near the river.

"Wow…I cannot believe that this world has so much to offer", the pink hedgehog continued to observe the area. "I really wished that I was allowed to go outside my castle." She looked over at Shadow who seemed emotionless. "What's wrong?"

"Hm?" the dark hedgehog looked at her. "It's nothing", he laid back on the ground with his arms behind his head.

"Are you sure? Nothing's troubling you, is it?"

"Well…Do you…trust me?"

"Of course. With all of my heart. Why?"

"I…I have so many things to tell you. I'm tired of hiding my secrets."

Something seemed different about him, and Amy could tell by his voice. What secrets was he hiding from her? She had a feeling that it might not be good, but she trusts him. And she knows that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. Still, she was starting to feel nervous.

"You may not know this, but…I'm a prince", Shadow spoke.

"You are!?" Amy gasped. "That's great!" she said with joy. "Maybe now Father will tell Sonic to be gone and we can be together-"

"An ex-prince to be exact."

"Huh? Why is that?"

"I hated my home."

"Really? What was it like there? Where are you from?"

For a moment, the black and red hedgehog was silent. He didn't want Amy to know more about him, but he had no other choice. He didn't want to feel like a stranger to her. Aside from that, he could sense some pain returning to him from the past. Surprisingly, he saw Amy staring at him, waiting for his answer. He sighed to himself. Looks like he has a lot to tell her.

"I'm from the Dark Kingdom."

"The Dark Kingdom? I have never heard of that", the younger hedgehog scratched her head.

"You haven't?" Shadow looked at her. "I thought for sure every kingdom knows what it is. Maybe no one told you about it. Not that it's a bad thing or something."

"Huh", Amy placed a fingertip on her bottom lip as she looked up.

"Hm…That look on your face…"

"Eh?"

"It makes you look cute." Amy blushed by that comment. "Anyway, that kingdom is the worse thing that was ever put on this planet. If you were to see it with your own eyes, you would feel like you were walking into Satan's trap", Shadow continued.

"Oh, my gosh. That sounds scary."

"Only scary if you see it for yourself. For as long as I can remember, I've been put through a lot of hell while I was growing up. And believe me, it was a lot more pain than you had."

"So…You ran away?" He nodded.

"I had a feeling that if I stayed longer and faced him again, then I would surely die."

"Him?"

"…My father, the King of Darkness."

"So…It looks like we have a little bit in common", the pink princess brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "You and I both have hatred towards our fathers."

"How long have you hated your father?" the ex-prince sat up.

"Well, I hate him a lot more now because of his arrangement plans for me and Sonic. Before all of that, we barely saw each other. He would always go to meetings, wars, and spend so much time with his friends. Even Lily feels the same way."

"I see. What about your mother?"

"We barely talk. And yours?"

"No longer with us."

"Oh, I'm sorry I asked", Amy gasped slightly. "Really, I am."

"Don't be sorry", Shadow reassured her. "At least she's in a better place. After all, she went through the same pain as I did."

"Huh. My mother and father argue sometimes. But that was back when I was little."

"I understand."

"Anyway, how long have you been…living on your own?"

"For almost two years. And I don't plan on going back."

"Hm. Well, I do not want to go back to my home either. I…want to stay with you."

Both hedgehogs gazed at each other in silence. Not a moment too soon, Shadow brushed his lips upon Amy's. She closed her eyes as she returned the favor. By feeling his hand on her back, she shivered a little. While still in the kiss, she wrapped her arms around his neck as he removed her hood. He caressed her cheek for a few seconds and then touched her soft hair. Amy was enjoying this moment and so was Shadow. To them, it has been a long time since they've shared a kiss. Nothing could be better than this. Feeling themselves running out of breath, they pulled apart and panted a little.

"Wow", Shadow commented.

"Wow indeed", Amy giggled. Her eyes feel upon his mask. "Why do you wear that mask?"

"Um…" the male scooted back a little. "It was to hid my identity from the bandits."

"Bandits? Wait, are you saying that the bandits are from the Dark Kingdom?"

"Correct."

"Oh…I get it."

"Still, they were able to discover who I was sometime later."

"Hm…Well", Amy leaned in, making Shadow blush a little. "I want to see your eyes."

"I doubt it", her lover looked away.

"And why is that?"

"They'll frighten you, just like the others."

"Love, no one else is here. After all, I love you just the way you are. I just want to see more of you. Besides, nobody's perfect."

"Amy…"

"I won't scream, I promise."

Shadow couldn't believe what he just heard. After receiving finger points and screams in the past, he was able to find someone that wasn't scared of him. For once, he felt like he can trust someone again. After all that he's been through made him become a loner. It wasn't the fact that he was scared of the world; he was just on guard too much. Sighing softly, he reached for the mask and pulled it off. He opened his eyes. His left one was ruby colored while the other was emerald green.

"This is who I am."

"Dual colored eyes", Amy said.

"I know", Shadow looked away again. "You fear them."

"No, I don't. You are not the only one with two colored eyes. I've known a few servants that had dual colored eyes."

"Well…I was born with both red eyes, but I was cursed by my father. He knows some witchcraft."

"Shadow…I'm so sorry that you've went through so much."

"Don't worry, it wasn't your fault."

"But other than that, I like your eyes. They kind of look like jewels."

"Funny, I was going to say the same thing about you."

The two gazed at each other again and shared another romantic kiss. When they got done, Shadow got up and puts the mask in his pocket. Then he helped Amy up. Back to business, he carried her in his arms and made his way to the other side of the spring. Suddenly, he missed the fourth rock and the two fell in the water. He came up to the surface and panted. Amy came up too and held onto him.

"I can't swim!" she said with fright.

"The water's not even deep", her lover replied. He stood up and helped her up. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it", Amy accepted his apology. She felt herself looking into his eyes again. Without hesitation, she stood on her toes and kissed him with her hands on his chest. He returned the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Hmph. I think I'm going to puke", the female bat watched everything from a tree branch further away from them. She saw the hedgehogs pull apart and made their way out of the spring. Since she has seen everything, she decided to take off and head back to the Dark Kingdom. "Wait until your father hears about this", she smirked.

Later that night, the couple finally reached to a large town called Emerald Village. Everything was quiet; no one was out in the streets. Shadow led Amy to a semi-large house and pulled out a key from his pocket. He took her inside and led her upstairs quietly. He then opened the second door in the hallway and showed her the bedroom. All there was a window and a bed with sheets on top. Amy sat on the bed and kicked off her flat shoes. The other hedgehog sat on the window sill.

"You can sleep here tonight", Shadow said.

"What about you?" Amy asked.

"I'll sleep on the couch."

"I…To be honest, I…I would feel much safer if you…slept with me." The female's cheeks were red.

"…!" Shadow looked at her oddly. "You sure?"

"Mm-hmm."

"…As you wish", the male walked to the bed.

"_Yes!"_ Amy cheered in thought. She scooted over and grabbed the covers.

"You don't mind if I…remove my shirt, do you?" the black and red hedgehog asked a bit shyly.

"Huh?"

"I get easily hot at night with it on."

"Um…sure."

Anxiously, she turned to the side as her face was red. This was her very first time being right next to a man in bed and seeing one without a shirt. One side of her thought that this was great while the other felt like she was being naive. While she was in her thoughts, Shadow sat on the edge of the bed and removed his shoes. He then unbuttoned his shirt and threw it on the floor. Amy's ears twitched when she heard a sigh from him. She looked back and saw that he had good looking muscles. But then, she noticed a few scars and burns on his back and shoulders. Where did they all come from? Did he receive them from the bandits? Or worse, has his father done all of this to him? Now she felt really bad for him. As she continued to glance at the marks, Shadow looked over his shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Oh-Um, nothing! Nothing at all", Amy blushed again. "Goodnight!" she tucked herself in and pretended to be asleep.

"_I know she saw everything", _Shadow thought to himself. _"Hopefully she wasn't terrified." _He got in the bed and pulled the sheets over him and his beloved. Out of nowhere, he felt some movement and looked down. His pink angel was sleeping on his fury chest. _"She really does trust me",_ he stared at her. _"Hm. She looks so beautiful when she's asleep",_ he wraps an arm around her for protection. He continued to stare at her until he fell asleep.

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Aww, soooo romantic! Well, they're in love with each other, duh! And yay, Amy still loves him even after what he told her. But uh-oh, Rouge is going to snitch! GRR! I think she's jealous, ha! Whatever, hope you've enjoyed this chapter. Bye-Bye!


	18. Now they Know

Whoo-hoo! Snow day madness! I'm lovin' it! Anyway, here's the next chapter. Remember, I don't own the characters. Well, only my fan made ones…

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Upon the next sunrise, Amy tossed herself over and wrapped her arms around something very soft. Wait, something wasn't right. The princess opened her eyes and realized that she was hugging a pillow. Yawning to herself, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. She then got out of bed and walked out. Just when she was about to walk down the stairs, she heard a conversation. She could hear Shadow talking with another male in the house. Taking a couple small steps down, she saw her sweetheart talking to a white hedgehog.

"You want me to do what?" the white hedgehog asked oddly.

"Look, just let her stay for a little bit", Shadow replied. "She won't cause any problems, I promise."

"Still, you could've just asked last night."

"You weren't even here."

"Oh, that's right. I forgot that I went out with the others. So who is she?"

"Um…" Shadow rubbed the back of his head. Before he could've answered, he and the other male heard some footsteps. He looked back and saw Amy. _"Uh-oh."_

"What's for breakfast?" Amy rubbed her eyes.

"What the…No way", the white hedgehog turned to Shadow. "You mean to tell me…" The other hedgehog nodded. "Are you crazy!?" he threw his hands in the air. "If the king finds out about this, we could be hanged, decapitated, or worse!"

"Don't worry about it, Silver", the black hedgehog spoke. "As long as she stays in here, nobody will know."

"_What?"_ Amy scratched her head.

"Aye, aye, aye", Silver sighed as he shook his head. "I'm not sure if this is a good idea."

"She has no where else to go. She hates her home", Shadow explained some more.

"What's wrong with living in the castle? You got servants, money and all!"

"It's a long story."

"Still-"

"Please let me stay!" Amy begged as she had her arms around the white hedgehog. "I do not want to go back to my father. I hate it there. If you want me to stay in here all day, then I'll do it", she looked into his amber eyes. "I may not know how to cook very well, but I'll try. And I'll clean the house too. I promise! Just let me stay here, please!" Her eyes were watering with tears.

Silver didn't think that she wanted to stay here. Although, he was worried that they'll get caught and end up in big trouble. But the look in the female's eyes. She must've been desperate for freedom. The white hedgehog looked over at Shadow who had his arms crossed. A sigh escaped his lips.

"Fine. You can stay."

"Thanks", Amy wiped her tears.

"But", Silver raised a finger at her. "I do not want you and Shadow to make any babies, alright? I hate kids!"

"_He just had to say that",_ Shadow slapped his forehead.

"Cross my heart, hope to die", the pink hedgehog vowed.

"Good", Silver sighed. "Anyway, I'm off to work now. Do not open the door for anyone", he said and walked out.

"…Pushy, isn't he?" Amy narrowed her eyebrows with her hands on her hips.

"You'll get used to him", the black hedgehog sighed. "Although, I have to go to work as well."

"You do?" Amy turned to him. "I was hoping that we could spend more time together."

"We will", Shadow caressed her cheek. "But after I'm done with work."

"Well…Have a nice day, Shadow", Amy looked up at him with a smile. Her hero kissed her on the lips.

"You too". With that said, he left.

"……Now I'm bored", the female hedgehog sat on the couch.

Around that time, King Isaac woke up by the sounds of birds chirping. He crawled out of his bed and went to the bathroom. After washing his face and taking a shower, he went to the dining room and took a seat. His servants were in the middle of making breakfast. A yawn escaped his lips.

"Natalie", he called out.

"Yes, your majesty?" a light blue hedgehog came up to him.

"Go and awake my family. We're going to have breakfast together."

"Yes, your majesty", Natalie nodded and went to do her orders. She first went and told the queen, who was already awake. Next, she woke Lily up and told her that her father wanted to see her. Lastly, she went to Amy's bedroom door. She turned the knob, but it wouldn't budge. "Amy", she knocked on the door. "Unlock the door, please. Your father wants to see you." No answer. "Maybe she's still asleep", she said to herself as she made her way back to the royal dining room.

"Where is Amy?" the queen asked.

"Her room is locked. I assume she is still asleep."

"Hmph!" Isaac stood up. "I was hoping that we could discuss some 'issues' with her, but now she refuses to come out!? That does it! I am sick of her annoying attitude!" He marched all the way to his eldest daughter's bedroom. Angrily, he banged on the door with his fist. "Amy! You open this door right now!" There was silence. Shrugging to himself, the king went to his bedroom and found the kingdom keys. He picked one which was the key to Amy's room. After that, he went back to where he started.

"Isaac", his wife called out as she walked to him. "Maybe she isn't feeling well."

"We'll see about that", the impatient king unlocked the door and went inside. "What the-? She's…" he looked around the room. "She's gone!"

"What!?" Melissa ran in. "But how?"

"Hmm…" Isaac investigated the room. His eyes suddenly noticed a note on the dresser. He read it to himself. "She ran away."

"What?" the queen turned to him. He handed her the letter. "Amy…" she whispered worriedly as soon as she finished reading it.

"Curses", Isaac shook his head. _"Sonic is not going to like this. Nor will Queen Aleena."_

Regardless that it was daytime, the sun couldn't shine on the Dark Kingdom. The eerie storm clouds blocked it with evilness. Inside the castle, the ruler was sitting on his bed listening to Rouge's story.

"Is that so?" he rubbed his chin.

"Yes", the white bat nodded. "That is all I saw. I never thought that he was a lover boy."

"Hmph. Pathetic. Although…I'm developing some sinister ideas right now."

"Let me guess, it involves with the pink brat."

"Of course. With her in danger, we can bring some Hell on everyone. Its great advantage you see."

"If you say so your majesty."

"Now then", the dark king stood up. "Let us prepare for a war to come."

"We shall", Rouge nodded with a smirk.

"Be gone. Tell the others to be ready to strike tonight."

"Yes your majesty", Rouge bowed and left.

Once the king couldn't hear her footsteps anymore, he walked to his mirror.

"Awaken, magic mirror", he said.

"What is it?" the mirror spoke once it glowed a little.

"Show me the princess that Shadow's in love with", the king commanded. "And while you're at it, show me where they're located."

Doing what he was told, the magic mirror began to glow white. The flash disappeared and the glass revealed a divine pink hedgehog sweeping the floor in a household. After that, the mirror showed a large village. Now the evil king knows where the two were hiding. He went down to the bottom floors of his castle. Many cages were filled with horrifying looking creatures. They growled as they watched their owner walk by. Soon enough, the evil hedgehog found the right creature. It was a huge bat-like creature with long fangs, sharp claws and dark purple eyes.

"Alright, Damien", the king spoke. "I want you to do something for me. My army will be on the way to Emerald Kingdom, so I want you to go to the village beyond there and find a pink hedgehog with turquoise eyes. Do NOT kill her. Just bring her to me. And if Shadow or anyone else gets in the way, kill them. Oh, and speaking of Shadow, have fun with him. Once you're done with him, you can kill or devour him, your choice. And if you don't have the girl by the time my army arrives at Emerald Kingdom, I'll decapitate you. Understand?"

"…Yes", the devilish bat replied. "It has been a long time that I've had fun outside of this castle. You will not be disappointed."

"Good", his master opened the cage. "Now get going."

"Your wish is my command", Damien bowed and then flew his way out of the kingdom.

"Hmmm-hmmm-hmm…" the black and gray hedgehog chuckled evilly. "Watch out, Shadow. It looks like you're about to become dinner. And your beloved princess will be mine", he clenched a fist with self-importance.

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Oh shit! Things aren't looking good, folks. What will happen next? Find out next time! Oh, has anyone figured out who the dark king is? I know who it is, but I'm not telling. LOL! But I guess some know which is cool. At any rate, see you next time! OMG almost 100 reviews! Sweet!


	19. Forever Love

I have another snow day, guys! Sweetness! And I was able to come up with this idea for this new chapter. It's gonna be cute and funny. Hope you enjoy! Remember, I do not own the characters…sadly.

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The next afternoon, Amy was finishing with the last of the dirty dishes. One thing she didn't like about staying here was that she had to do a lot of chores. Far as she can tell, she felt like she was doing more chores than the boys. They were developing some laziness of course. Netherless, they did a little here and there. Now Amy knows how her servants feel when have to do everything her father tells them to do. But as long as she's away from there with Shadow, that's all that matters. Once she got done, she wiped her forehead and went to take a seat on the couch.

So far, everything's been going swell. No one knows that she was hiding here, so she wasn't worried anyhow. Still, there were a few setbacks when it came to living in this household. One, she still wasn't a great cook. Two, well, it was a bit harder to get close to Shadow. Last night, just when they were about to make love, Silver caught them red handed! How embarrassing! Coincidently, she was starting to dislike him more, aside that he was kind of bossy. But she knows that Shadow would protect her, even from him.

Feeling bored again, she went to the backyard in order to look for her dearest. She only saw Silver washing some clothes in a bucket of water.

"Where is Shadow?" she asked.

"Training in the forest", the white hedgehog replied.

"Training?"

"He likes to practice his combat skills. I wouldn't get too close if I were you. One time, he gave me a bloody nose by accident."

"Oh…Well, how long do you think he'll be training?"

"That I am not sure. You can still go see him, but just keep your distance. And…Wait, if someone sees you-" Silver turned to the ex-princess.

"I'll be fine", Amy waved and took off.

"Hey!" Silver called out for her. "Women…" he shook his head.

A little while later, the pink hedgehog reached to the center of the forest. She looked around, hoping that she wasn't lost. Her ears twitched when she heard some small shouts. They sounded like they were coming from Shadow. Carefully, Amy tip toed until she saw him practicing his punches and kicks. He also used his combat knife as a part of his training. The look on his face showed anger and vengeance. Could it be that he was training in case he faces his father someday? That seemed to be the only reason. Amy watched behind a tree as her fingertip was on her lips. She could see the sweat on Shadow's body under the sunlight. And his muscles…they were so…

"Oh, dear", the female hedgehog hid herself as she fanned her hot face. Her eyes suddenly caught a strange creature with eight legs and it was hanging from a white string. She let out a shriek of fear.

"Huh?" Shadow stopped his training and looked to the side. He received a frightened hug from Amy. "What is it?"

"There is something over there", the pink hedgehog pointed to the small creature that scared her. "And it looks disgusting!"

"…It's only a spider", the black and red hedgehog rubbed the back of his head.

"A what?"

"It's an insect."

"Is it dangerous?"

"Only when you get bitten by one. But it's easy to kill one."

"Oh", Amy sighed as she rested her head on the male's chest. She examined his body from top to bottom. Blood rushed to her cheeks.

"Are you running a fever?" Shadow placed a hand on her forehead.

"No, no, I'm fine", the pink hedgehog shook her head. She suddenly heard some hissing and turned around. On the ground was a long brown creature that was slithering towards her. "Aah!" she jumped onto her lover. "What is that thing!?"

"It's a snake", Shadow barely spoke. "Just stay still and it'll go away."

"Eww", Amy said in disgust. She watched the snake slither around Shadow's shoes and then went in a different direction. "Phew", she sighed in relief. "I have so much to learn."

"Amy? Could you maybe…?" the black hedgehog said as his cheeks were turning blue.

"Oh, I'm so sorry", the female got down and let him pant for some air. "I just got really scared."

"Well, well, well", Silver walked in. "What do we have here?"

"Nothing", Amy waved her hands in front of her. "Nothing at all."

"I see", the white hedgehog rubbed his chin. "Anyway, my arms hurt. So maybe if you two are not too busy, you can maybe…" he stretched his arms.

"Something's behind you", Shadow pointed.

"What?" Silver looked back. He heard a whoosh and turned around. The couple was gone. "Hmph. How immature", he crossed his arms.

Minutes later, Shadow and Amy ended up at a different area of the forest. There were apple trees, flowers, and there was a large pond with lily pads on it. Shadow sat Amy down and grabbed a couple apples from the tree. He handed her one and sat down.

"Thanks", the pink hedgehog said and took a bite of the apple. She noticed a few light blue bubbly creatures playing at the pond. "Shadow, what are those?" she pointed at them.

"Those are chao", the male hedgehog replied as he laid back with his arms behind his head. "Don't worry, they're harmless."

"They look…adorable", Amy smiled. One of the chao came up to her with a daisy. "Aww, you're so sweet", she took the flower and petted the chao. "We should take one home."

"Unfortunately, Silver doesn't want pets in his household", Shadow sighed.

"It's all about this and that with him isn't it? How in the world can you live with him?"

"He's only person that gave me a place to stay. Besides you, he didn't fear my eyes."

"Oh…How long do you plan on staying here?" Amy laid on her back.

"I'm not sure to be honest", the black and red hedgehog replied. "I've only been here for almost three months. When the time is right, I'll just move on."

"Do you plan on traveling the world?"

"Maybe..."

"Well, is it ok if I come with you? I do not mind learning some more new things."

"You can stay by my side as much as you like."

"You mean…I can be with you forever?" the female looked at him. He nodded.

"Forever."

A blush appeared on Amy's cheeks as she smiled. She was glad that Shadow really loved her and would enjoy her company whenever he goes traveling. The male hedgehog looked at her as well. He admired her looks, her personality, everything. Just by looking at her lying on the grass and letting the wind blow in her hair made her look like a goddess. Shadow slowly got up and sat behind her on his knees. He looked down at her face.

"What is it?" Amy asked curiously.

"Have you ever had an upside down kiss before?" the other hedgehog asked her. She shook her head. With his eyes closed, he placed his lips upon hers. His beloved returned the kiss with her eyes closed. He departed from her a little and suckled on her upper lip whilst tasting the apple juice.

"I love you", the pink hedgehog whispered passionately.

"I love you more", Shadow touched her hair. The two began to share another romantic kiss.

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Aww, so romantic! LOL, Amy! You love his body, don't cha? Oh, you crazy girl, you XD. Hahaha, Silver! When will you ever learn? Hope you've enjoyed this chapter! I wonder what will happen next…


	20. Roses and Blood

Another snow day for me! YAY! I must be lucky to live in the Midwest. 3 snow days in a row! Anyway, another chappie is here! We're at chapter 20! And I got 100 reviews! W00t! I must warn you that there will be some blood and violence and a few swearing in this. You have been warned! Other than that, enjoy! And I don't own the characters. Just my fan made ones.

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The next evening, Shadow was holding on to Amy as he was rushing through the forest. He wanted to take her somewhere as a little date. Good thing it was further away from the village. Although, Silver did warn the two that the kingdom might start a search party before they know it. Of course, Shadow didn't show any fear. Neither did Amy. Eventually, the two were out of the forest.

"Where are we?" the pink hedgehog asked as she got down from her lover's arms.

"Go see for yourself", the dark hedgehog pointed forward.

Scratching her head, Amy walked forward to the top of a hill. She looked down and gasped. Below the hill was a large meadow filled with roses. So that's how Shadow was able to get all of the roses for Amy. She looked back at him and he nodded. She squealed as she ran to him.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" she jumped onto him with a hug, yet making him fall backwards.

"You're welcome", Shadow barely replied.

"This is a beautiful place, Shadow", the female got up. "I really appreciate it."

"I knew you would like it here."

"You know what I'm going to do? I am going to find the right rose just for you." With that said Amy kissed him and ran down the hill energetically.

A moment later, the male hedgehog sat up with ease. He rubbed his shoulders. Even though Amy was a princess, she sure had some strength! Feeling like he can move again, Shadow got up and walked to the top of the hill. He sat down and watched his darling princess search around the roses. This was what he always wanted to give her. A bed of roses. In order to keep himself entertained, Shadow pulled out his ocarina and began to play it.

Not too far away, Damien was flying through the clouds in order to find his target. He was able to pass the Emerald Kingdom and the village without being seen. Looking up, he could see the sky was turning dusk. He lowered himself so that way he could see better. Soon enough, his eyes caught something pink in the middle of red roses. Perhaps it was the princess! And it looked like she was all alone. That was going to make Damien's job easier. He chuckled evilly and flew down to her.

Just as Shadow finished his song, he opened his eyes. He looked up and saw something flying down. He stood up and looked down at Amy. Something bad was going to happen and he didn't like it one bit. Throwing the ocarina to the side, he dashes to her rescue. The pink hedgehog was on her knees looking at the roses. Suddenly, a large shade covered her. She looked back and saw a bat-like monster coming at her. She let out a scream, but she was saved before she could've got snatched away. Frightfully, she opened her eyes and saw Shadow on top of her. Blood was rolling down from his back and shoulders.

"You're hurt!" Amy gasped.

"I'll be fine", her hero got off of her. "Are you alright?" She nodded.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" the demon landed further behind them. "You are seriously pathetic, Shadow. Protecting a little girl like her."

"Grr!" Shadow looked back with fury. "Who are you?!" he demanded.

"I am Damien. If have not already figured it out, I came here to take girl to Dark Kingdom. Someone is **dying **to meet her", the bat-like creature said and licked his fangs.

"I'm scared", Amy gulped.

"There is no way I am going to let you take her away from me! You're going have to kill me first!" the brave hedgehog yelled.

"Shadow, no!"

"Then so be it!" Damien spread out his wings and let the wind rush through the couple.

Pulling out his battle weapon, Shadow charged at him and swung at his neck. He missed as the demon flew to the air. After that, the bat let his claws grow out a little. He let out a war cry as he flew down to the hedgehog. The ex-prince was able to jump to the side but then realized that Damien was now going after Amy. A gasp escaped her lips once she saw the demon coming at her. Before she could've got clawed to death, Shadow carried her and jumped to the air. However, he received a large cut in his right arm. He landed gently but grunted due to the pain. Damien licked the blood from his claws and growled with hunger.

"So delicious. But I wonder what the princess tastes like."

"How does he know who I am?" Amy wondered.

"_Dammit",_ Shadow looked at his opponent. _"The bastard king must've sent him."_

"You're bleeding!" the female gasped with fear at his bloody arm.

"Don't worry about me", the black and red hedgehog said and sat her down. "I need you to get out of here. Run as fast as you can."

"But what about you?"

"I'll catch up once I'm done with this demon."

"…Please don't die", Amy whispered worriedly and then ran away.

"Aww, isn't that sweet?" Damien said with full sarcasm. "I guess now I know your weakness."

"This between you and me now", Shadow got up and held his right arm. "Leave Amy out of this!"

"Very well then."

Getting back with the fight, Damien swung his claws, but the hedgehog was able to dodge every attack. He then swung his claws down, nearly scratching Shadow's body. The ex-prince got his combat knife and swung at him. He placed it between his teeth and started throwing punches with his left arm. The demon laughed as he speedily avoided his attacks. Letting out a small growl, Shadow began to use his kicks. Again, he couldn't get a hit. Damien caught his right foot and swung him around like a toy.

"Time to fly!" he took off to the sky.

"Dammit!" Shadow yelled and stabbed the evil creature in the leg.

"Owww!" Damien hollered in pain as he dropped the hedgehog.

"Kuh!!" the black and red hedgehog grunted as he landed on the ground. He stood up and got into his fighting position. Right on time, the bat was heading towards him. Fiercely, he punched him in the face, sending him back somewhat feet away.

Damien rubbed his bleeding nose and growled. He whooshed pass Shadow with great speed repeatedly whilst slashing him at the same time. Feeling like it was time to end this; he swoops down and opens his mouth to bite him. Just then, the hedgehog kneed him in the chin and kicked him back. As he rubbed his chin, he received a huge punch in the jaw and was sent rolling back for a minute.

Sweat and blood dropped onto the roses as Shadow panted. He had to defeat that thing somehow! Otherwise he would end up dead and Amy will get kidnapped! In order to prevent that from happening, he got his knife out again and rushed to the bat demon. He was able to tackle Damien down and stabbed him in the chest.

"Ha! That didn't hurt me one bit!" the devilish creature said evilly.

"What?" Shadow narrowed his eyebrows. Before he could've attack again, he was suddenly on his back and claws went through his shoulders. He yelled in pain.

"That hurt didn't it?" Damien snickered. He took one of his claws and cuts Shadow's left cheek open.

"Ahh!" the hedgehog hissed.

"Hmm…" Damien examined the crimson red blood and licked it. "I'm surprised. Your blood taste nothing like your father's."

"Do I look like I give a damn?"

"Well, now. Such language coming from a weakling like you." He ended up getting some saliva in his eye. "Damn you!" he grabbed the hedgehog by the neck and started choking him. He watched Shadow struggle to escape as he tries to breath. "This is the end for you, little prince."

"Get…the hell…off!!" Shadow grabbed Damien's left hand. His hand suddenly glowed gold and it caused the demon's hand to come off the wrist.

"GAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!" Damien looked at his left handless wrist as he stood up. "How dare you!"

"_What the…?"_ the hedgehog takes the disgusting looking hand off of him. _"Did I do that?"_

"Time to die!" the angry monster aimed his claws at Shadow's chest.

Hurriedly, the hedgehog rolled to the side, but received another slash in the back. He then got up and clenched his right hand into the fist. Nothing happened. What happened to the power that he just used? Nonetheless, he has to continue fighting. He evaded some more attacks from Damien. Ducking down, he took his weapon and stuck it in demon's gut.

"Ughhh!!" Damien groaned as some blood dripped from his mouth. "Why you little…!" he grabs Shadow by the head and throws him to the side. He waits from him to get up. At that moment, he swings his right claws at the hedgehog's stomach.

"KUH!" Shadow clutched his stomach. He received another slash in the arm and then at the chest.

"Go down, dammit!" the bat demon knocks the hedgehog down by a punch. After that, he grabs him by the neck. "Suffer!" Suddenly, his hand gathered some energy. He then begins to electrocute Shadow as he listens to him hollering in pain. "Any last words?" Out of nowhere, he got shot in the chest by an arrow. "Oww! What the-!?" he looks up and sees a white hedgehog with a bow and arrows. "I'll deal with you later", he tells the ex-prince and throws him to the side. He flies to the white hedgehog.

"Whoa!" Silver dives to the side. He pulls another arrow and releases it. Luckily, he was able to hit the demon in the back. "Gotcha!"

"_Curses",_ Damien hissed in pain. _"I'm losing a lot of blood. Although, the master is not going to like this. I might as well kidnap the girl next time."_ He takes off to find a place to rest.

Rain clouds began to gather upon the sky as the thunder roared. Silver rushed to his close friend as he panted. He looks down and sees that he's losing some blood.

"Shadow, wake up!" he gets down on one knee and shakes him slightly. "Come on, answer me!"

"…" The ebony hedgehog opened his eyes a little. "Silver…? Is Amy alright?"

"She's fine. I told her to stay inside the house", the white hedgehog replied. "What was that thing? And what did it want?"

"It's a long story…" Shadow soon fell unconscious.

Meanwhile, the dark king watched everything by his magic mirror with his arms crossed. Of course, he was really disappointed with Damien's failed attempts to kill Shadow and to kidnap the princess. He didn't think that his son could survive all of those attacks. Maybe his own son was his greatest enemy. Even he couldn't kill the younger hedgehog with his powers in the past.

"I see he has gotten stronger. But…He won't last one little bit once my army attacks the village and the kingdom", he scoffed. "And he won't be able to protect his beloved princess. Hmph. I can feel a war coming…"

* * *

Yikes! That was scary! And poor Shadow! Damien, you jerk! And it looks like things are about to get worse! What will happen next time? R&R and we shall see…


	21. The War Begins

OMG, I'm finally back! Here are the reasons why I haven't updated in a while…

1: I had to study for two tests and a quiz last week.

2: My brother's birthday was last Friday so he had two birthday parties that I had to attend to.

3: Chores and drama.

4: I went to see the Avatar movie today. I recommend the whole world to go see it!

5: Lastly, I had to think of some ideas for this chapter.

There you have it. Now that I have returned, let's get on with the show!

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"So how is he, doctor?" Silver asked a raccoon who was packing his things in a suitcase.

"Well…Surprisingly, he is still alive", the doctor replied. "Although, he did lose a lot of blood. I did the best I could, so you have nothing to worry about. I could also say that he is one lucky guy. I have never seen such horrific injuries before in my entire life."

"Same here."

"Any idea what happened to him?"

"Well…" the hedgehog tried to come up with a fake story. "_How am I going to explain this to him? I doubt that he'll believe me when I say that a bat demon attacked Shadow. Still…"_

Upstairs, Amy was on her knees watching her hero rest in bed as she held onto his left hand. Yes, she had on her cloak so the doctor wouldn't recognize her. She didn't want this to happen, not ever. The last thing she didn't want see was Shadow resting in bed with terrible injuries. His breathing was scarce, but at least he was still alive. He had a lot of bandages wrapped around his arms, chest, and stomach. There was another one wrapped around his forehead. Although, the blood wouldn't stop rising up to the white bandages.

"Oh, Shadow", the female whispered with tears. "I'm so sorry. If only you didn't have to risk your life for me. You don't deserve this. But…I thank you for saving my life." She wiped her tears. "Just stay with me Shadow, please. I do not want to lose you." Before she could've broken down into tears, she felt Shadow's hand moving up to her wrist. She gasped as she looked at the male hedgehog.

"Amy," he barely breathed. "Amy…"

"I'm right here, Shadow", she caressed his cheek. "Be strong…"

Meanwhile, a large army was making their way to their destination. This army was named The Dark Army. Of course, the king was leading the way. His entire armed force was filled with bandits, demons, and other evil beings. As they traveled through the woods and out into the fields, numerous storm clouds gathered above them. They were ready to shed some blood. However, it would be about two or three days for them to reach Emerald Kingdom. So they decided to test their strength somewhere else.

Inside Mobius Kingdom, Sonic was sitting on his bed looking out the window. Many things were circling in his head. First, there was Amy. She was beautiful no doubt about it, but she keeps refusing him. Second, the whole marriage ordeal. Sure, it would bring both kingdoms together, but that didn't really matter to him much. All he wanted was to be with Amy day and night. A sigh escaped his lips. But then, he notices that the sky was slowly turning dark. Far up ahead, he sees some strange things coming towards the kingdom.

"What the hell?" he whispers to himself.

By the first lightning strike, the Dark Army charged at the large kingdom before them. Some of the knights stormed to them while the others went to find some assistance. At the start of the battle was very bloody. Demons tackled down a few knights and started gnawing their arms. The bandits used their deadly weapons to knock some more out of the way. They used swords, bow and arrows, flails, flanged maces, war hammers, and bludgeons. More knights came out to stop them, but they sadly failed. A few flying creatures soared through the sky and attacked the knights that were firing catapults on the balconies.

Behind the Dark Army, the king watched with his arms crossed. The lightning flashed, making his fearsome green eyes glow a little. Bored from watching his army have some fun, he decided to unleash some attacks on the castle. First, he gathers some dark energy in his hands. Next, he aims his hands at the large structure. After that, he sends out a large line of black fire into the front area. Then the fire started rising. Not even the wind could blow it away.

Inside, Sonic was rushing to his mother's room. He kicks the double doors open and sees her staring at the war from her balcony. Behind him, his twins, Manic and Sonia, ran up to him as they panted.

"What is going on?" the sister asked with fright.

"What should we do?" the brother continued to pant.

"Mother?" Sonic turned to her.

"I didn't think that this would happen", the queen shuts her eyes with hopelessness. "If only Isaac and I arranged the marriage earlier. That way we would be able to take them down easily."

"So what are we suppose to do?"

"You cannot fight them. It is best if you all run for cover."

"If that's the case", the blue hedgehog sighed. He runs to his mother and takes her hand. "Then you will have to come with us. We have to stick together."

"Oh, Sonic…" Aleena looks at him worriedly. Their moment was interrupted when they felt the castle shake at rapid rate. "Let us leave!" she nodded. As fast as they could, she and her children searched for a way out.

Everything was all going according to plan in the dark king's eyes. He was probably the first person to have the Mobius Kingdom in a weakened state. Although, this was all but a test. A test to see if he and his army can create havoc on anyone they want. Of course, they have succeeded. But that didn't mean that the fun was all over yet. Once again, the king shoots some fire from his palms and watches the kingdom burn.

Sometime later, everyone from the Mobius Kingdom retreated to a safer place. The Dark Army cheered for their victorious act.

"Now then", the king rubs his chin. "Let's go visit Emerald Kingdom…"

Two days later, a wounded knight limped his way to the front doors of Emerald Kingdom. He panted as he held his stomach in pain. Blood wouldn't stop oozing from his arms and shoulders. There was also some dripping down from his abdomen area. The royal guards noticed him and rushed to his aid. They caught him before he could've collapsed forward.

"Are you alright?"

"What happened?"

"Darkness…Blood…Evilness…Fear", the wounded knight panted.

"What?" the first guard spoke again. "What are you talking about?"

"Mobius Kingdom…It has been under attack…Need…help…"

"Who attacked Mobius Kingdom? From what I've heard, that's the strongest kingdom of all", the second guard said with suspicions.

"An army…An army that carries darkness with them", the wounded knight falls to his knees. "Watch the clouds…If they turn dark, beware…Hurry! Gather your army. Warn the king! Before it's…too late." He shuts his eyes as the rest of his life fades away.

"This cannot be good", the first guard gulped.

"I agree", the other one nodded.

* * *

Ohhhhhhh…Shit! What will happen next time? R&R and find out!


	22. Kidnapped

Boy, I haven't updated in a long time. But since it's the weekend and I don't have any homework, I might as well update now, since I have a chance. I DON'T OWN THE CHARACTERS! Please forgive me if the chapter seems short or rushed. If I come up with other ideas, I'll re-edit or should I say rewrite this chappie.

* * *

(The next day…)

"Extre, extre! Mobius Kingdom has been destroyed! Read all about it!" the newspaper boy yelled out as he held up the weekly paper.

"I'll take one", Silver gave the kid a few coins and read the paper. "Oh, my god…" he whispered to himself. He wasn't the only one surprised.

"Mobius Kingdom has been destroyed?"

"How can that be?"

"Something's not right."

"Who or what could've done that?"

"Why would they?"

"I have a bad feeling about this."

"_...It can't be",_ the white hedgehog continued reading the paper. _"What can we do?"_

Inside the Emerald Kingdom, many doctors were ordered to arrive there in order to care for the survivors of Mobius Kingdom. That also included Queen Aleena and her children. Isaac decided to avoid her, considering that he didn't want to explain about Amy's disappearance. Not only that, he didn't want Sonic to push himself to go look for her with a few injuries. While his was busy arranging his army, his wife and daughter were watching the doctors from the top of the stairs.

"This is terrible", the queen said to herself. "Oh, I hope Amy can take care of herself out there…"

"…Me too", Lily nodded. "I do not know why, but I am starting to become frightened."

"It will be alright my child", her mother got down to her level and gave her a hug. "Just be brave for me." The youngest princess nodded and hugged her back.

That night, a storm appeared. King Isaac and his army were awaiting their enemy in a field away from the kingdom. All of their faces showed hatred and vengeance. One thing for sure, they had to defeat the Dark Army and survive, no matter what. In time, the lightning flashed the sky as the thunder roared with fury. Up ahead, the Dark Army was marching towards their next target. All of the knights from Emerald Kingdom got into their fighting positions. There were others that were getting the catapults ready. The king was wearing his armor and had his trusted sword and shield in his hands. Soon enough, the Dark Army stopped marching and gazed upon King Isaac and his militia. The wind breezed coldly as rain began to fall.

By the next lightning strike, the two armies charged at each other with war cries. For starters, the knights went against the bandits as they swung their swords. They were able to take down a few, but they were easily defeated by the demons. Many others were attacking bandits that would dare to harm the king. Right on time, the catapults swung down and made the rocks knock some bandits unconscious. Meanwhile, the king was able to kill a couple bandits with his sword. He looks on ahead and sees the dark king looking at him with his arms crossed.

"You…It can't be…" he whispered with shock and rage.

While the battle was going on, many demons flew off to the village. Once they got their, they began to attack the villagers. They picked them up high and dropped them purposely, swooped pass some others, and even claw some down with their devilish nails. Silver was hiding behind a small general store as he gulped. He had his bow and arrows for protection. All he could think about was that he had to do all he could to protect his friends at home. He hoped that they were alright. Looking up, he suddenly saw something flew by with fast speed. And it looked like it was heading for…

"Oh, no", Silver spoke worriedly.

Inside Silver's house, Amy was taking care of Shadow while he was still asleep. Ever since she learned about the attack on Mobius Kingdom, she has been extremely worried. What if her home was going to be attacked? How would she move on if that happened? She shook her head, thinking that everything will be ok. But she was wrong.

By the sound of glass break, she gasped. Letting a lump go down her throat, she puts on her cloak and made her way downstairs with caution. Another gasp escaped her lips. She took a peek out the broken window to see what was going on. Many villagers were running for their lives from large devilish creatures. Could this have happened to Mobius Kingdom? The frightened princess moved back so she wouldn't be seen. If she didn't get her and Shadow out of here, then they're goners! She ran upstairs and went to Shadow's side.

"Shadow, wake up", she shook him. "We have to get out of here." He didn't respond. "No", she whispered. She placed an ear on his chest. _"He's still alive. Good." _She gathered some strength and held him up. He hissed in pain. "Are you alright?"

"The pain…Dammit", he said quietly. "What's wrong?" he turned to her.

"The village is under attack", Amy began to explain. "There are monsters everywhere! And they look like that one creature that attacked you."

"What?" He suddenly hears a crash and covers Amy's gasp. "Stay here", he whispered as he struggled to get out of bed.

"No, you should rest", the pink hedgehog placed her hands on his shoulders. "I'll go see what just happened."

"Hold on…" Shadow pulled out his dagger. "I'll be right back", he stood up and made his way to the door.

"But-"

"Just stay here."

Slowly with prudence, the black and red hedgehog made his way to the stairs. He took one step down and held his stomach in pain. In thought, he was surprised that he was still alive. Once he reached the last step, he looked to his right with his dagger ready. All he saw was some wooden rumble lying in the living room. But what caused that to happen? Something was here, no doubt about it. Shadow searched around the area in case an uninvited guest was hiding. So far, there was nothing. That was the suspicious part about it. He looked out the window and sees what Amy was talking about. Angrily, he clenched his fists. His demonic father was here, and he was probably close. Before he went into deep thought, he suddenly heard a scream.

"_Amy?"_ he said in thought. Quickly yet carefully, he went back to his room. He kicked the door open and gasped.

"We meet again", the same bat demon stood in the middle of the room. He had a hand over Amy's mouth and another one around her waist.

"Let her go-!" Shadow was about to charge at him.

"One more move, and she's dead", Damien revealed one of his claws.

"Shadow…" Amy spoke with fear.

"Alright, lover boy. Drop the dagger", the bat demon raised his claw under her chin. "Or else…"

"Grr", the male hedgehog growled.

"Do you wish to see her die?"

"_Dammit." _The hedgehog let his dagger fall to the floor.

"That's better." Damien had the ex-prince where he wanted him. He opened his wings and let the wind push Shadow back against the wall. "Fool."

"Why you…!" the ex-prince got back up.

"Hmph", Damien smirked. With one of his hands, he formed some lightning and blasted the ceiling into pieces. Then he zaps Shadow back before he could've got punched in the face. "So long, princey. AHAHAHAHAHA!!" he opened his wings and flew away.

"Shadow!!" the pink hedgehog reached her hand down for him.

"Amy…" Shadow struggled to get back up. _"Curse these injuries."_ Once he got his strength back, he rushes outside and starts following the bat-demon. He was stopped by a couple wolf-like creatures as they growled. "Dammit", he growled. "This is going to be difficult", he got into his fighting position.

* * *

Ok, I finally updated, good grief. Sorry if it was short. Damn you school, damn you. The irony of it all is that I'm now uploading it before Valentine's Day…Wow, that's nice. R&R please, thanks.

And speaking of Valentine's Day, be sure to check out my new fanfic, 'A Collection of ShadAmy One shots'. Or I should call it 'ShadAmy One shots'. Oh, well I'll think about it. I promise you, it is going to be soooo cute!


	23. Author's Notice: Leaving Fanfiction

**READ IT! READ IT NOW AND READ IT CLOSELY!**

Hello, this is DangerousRockstar (my username used to be anime2videogames). Yes, I have changed my fanfiction username finally. I can see that I have not been updating on this story lately. However, I have not been on this website in a very, VERY long time. Seriously, I have been very busy with life that I completely forgotten about my fanfics. Hell, I almost forgot my password as I was logging into this website! Anyways, besides this story, I have not been updating on my other fanfics due to many things occurring in my life. Allow me to explain my reasons why I have not been around for a long time and also why I may not return to writing my fanfics anytime soon…

**Reason #1: College**

~Last fall, I was taking 6 classes because I did not have a job at the time, so I was studying…a lot! Spring Semester 2011 was just as busy, even though I took 5 classes this time. Aside from that, I was dealing with so much pressure from my professors and my family members when it comes to college. I'm still trying to figure out whether I should major in the medical field or computers. But for now, I am taking general classes like Math, English, Speech, etc. This fall, I will be taking five more classes. Some of you may be wonder if I need to take that many classes in a semester. At the college I go to, I only need 4 classes (12 credit hors) to be a full time student, but remember, I did not have a job back then, so I guess I am ahead of everyone when it comes to getting all of my credit hours. I need 64 in total, and so far, I have 31 credit hours! Almost half way done with community college! I do wish to complete the list of classes to get into a university, while at the same time, I wish the take things easier on me in terms of the amount of classes I sign up for and to see how many are easy or hard for me. I did make some new friends here and there, and I also tended to hang out with them when I am not busy. So I was pretty much busy with being a college kid. Right now, I am looking up classes for this fall and hopefully, I can raise my grade point average, because it is not as good as I hope it would be…

**Reason #2: Drama, left and right**

~Trust me, in life, there's drama. I had to deal with drama from school (well, stress is a better word) and from home. For some reason, my mom seems to be getting really, REALLY under my skin and I want her to back off for two seconds! Not only that, I have two aunts who are ill, cousins having children at a very young age, and of course, job hunting. So far, last year and this year have not been the easiest years of my life. But hey, what IS an easy year nowadays? Now that it's summer time, I can finally rest my brain from books, tests, and worrying about homework. Praise the lord! Even so, I still have some issues regarding to my family. Yeah, it's mostly family drama, but I'm not going the worst of family drama, honestly. I'm hoping everything will ease up on me and my relatives as time goes by…

**Reason #3: No new ideas have come to me**

~This is common for us here at Fanfiction, but wow, I am really having a hard time to come up with new stories! Even though I have ideas of new stories on my profile, I cannot start writing/typing up the chapters for some reason. Back when I first started writing on this website, I had so many ideas flying in my head, back and forth. But I guess because what has been going on in my life, I have not been able to sit down and come up with new ideas to finish any of my fanfics, or start writing any new ones. I really hate that. However, I am sure I am not the only one going through this right now. Sure a few of my favorite Fanfic authors have discontinued their fics and/or stopped writing them completely in the past, but I am not mad about it. I understand their feelings when it come to dealing with life and abandoning Fanfiction altogether. I guess it's my turn to take that road. Even though none of you guys don't want me to do that, I might have to since well…Hell, I have not been here in almost a year, so, of course, I may have to leave this website for good. I know some of you may have new ideas for my fanfics, but hell, why not just take over from where I left off? That's right; I am auctioning off ALL of my fanfics for those who wish to continue my fanfics. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know.

**Reason #4: Working at two jobs is a pain!**

~Yes, I was finally able to find some summer part-time work for this summer. I work at an amusement park on Saturdays and at a local pool on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Today is Monday, so I am off from work, typing up this important message for you guys. Sure I have three off days, but the other four days are tedious and I have to work my butt off everytime! When I come home, I feel exhausted that I do not want to do anything but to sleep. But I gotta work this summer so I can save up on school and maybe a few videogames and clothes. Same goes with food. Who knows, I may have to find a different job that lasts all year around to pay for school and to have lunch and gas money in my pockets.

**Reason #5: Other distractions**

~All of the other distractions that are taking my time from **Fanfiction** include videogames, anime, preparing for summer vacation, preparing for school, **Youtube**, and of course, hanging out with people. It is what it is.

**Reason #6: I'm getting kind of bored here**

~No, it is not from waiting on new reviews from new people on my stories, but it's just that the entire website is not as entertaining as it used to be. Well, to me at least. Sure I came across a couple of good fanfics here and there, but for the most part, not many seem to interest me. With all of that going on, I tend to wonder why I still have an account here. Hell, can you even delete your accounts on this website? If so, I might as well do that seeing how I have not been updating on my fanfics and that I am getting really bored here. This is not the only website that's putting me to sleep. I am also getting bored with **DeviantArt** and **Facebook**. The only websites that are worth while to me now are **Youtube**, **Newgrounds**, **Google**, **Wikipedia**, and a few others. I'm not saying that this website sucks or anything, but the fact that matter is…I'm just losing my interests in **Fanfiction **altogether. Perhaps it is because I'm maturing and growing up…?

So there you go. Now that I have told many specific reasons to why I have not been updating, then I might as well end this segment by saying, "It's been fun, but I gotta move on." Now like I said earlier, if ANY of you wish to take my fanfics and continue the story for them, you can contact me whenever you have the time. If I take too long to reply, keep in mind that I am working at two jobs right now, so I may not be able to get back with you right away.

In closing, I would like to say thank you all for enjoying this story and many others for as they are and how much they contain, hopefully you'll understand where I am coming from, and of course, take care of yourselves.

(I REALLY hope you all read everything from start to finish, because if I see a review going "NOOOO DON'T GO! I CAN'T LIVE UNLESS YOU CONTINUE THE STORY!" or "THAT'S BULLSHIT! WHHHYYYY?" then I'll just look at your comments and laugh at you. Besides, you can't get everything in your life. You know that, right?)


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